On September 4th and 5th, the Future Energy Economy Summit was held in Syracuse, where various state agencies, energy leaders and experts, labor groups, business groups, and other stakeholders met to discuss the future of clean energy while supporting economic development in New York. Governor Kathy Hochul attended the summit on Thursday, September 5th, where she delivered remarks expressing her commitment to ensuring New York is a leader in addressing climate change. “New York is building a clean energy economy that fosters growth, ingenuity and taps into technologies that will reduce our carbon footprint,” the Governor said. “From creating the most successful offshore wind industry in the country to our investments in a sustainable electric grid, we are committed to being a national leader in protecting our climate – and we won’t stop until we’ve created the best possible future for our children.”
In a press release following her remarks, the Governor announced that, using the insights gained from the summit, New York State will take the following next steps:
- Complete the ongoing Public Service Commission review of New York’s overarching large-scale renewable energy program, known as the Clean Energy Standard, by early 2025 and advance key actions to accelerate and expand the state’s large-scale renewable energy industry, focusing on deployment goals, interconnection reforms and the timely implementation of the RAPID Act for expedited environmental reviews and permitting of major renewable energy and electric transmission facilities;
- Maximize leverage of federal programs by applying for relevant funding opportunities for economic development and next-generation, emissions-free energy technology planning and deployment;
- Advance Public Service Commission action on its “Zero Emissions by 2040” proceeding that is investigating technologies that support the 2040 zero-emissions electricity system target established through New York’s Climate Act;
- Solicit industry feedback on the draft Advanced Nuclear Technologies Blueprint and finalize the draft blueprint by the end of 2024; and
- Ensure that the next State Energy Plan, developed by the New York State Energy Planning Board recently convened by the Governor, appropriately considers the role advanced emissions-free technologies can play in the state’s move to a deeply renewable electric grid and capitalization of programs that will expand the state’s economy.
The Governor’s full press release, along with a video of her remarks at the summit, can be found here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/future-energy-economy-summit-governor-hochul-calls-advanced-clean-energy-technologies-play-key