Wind turbines on Tug Hill plateau in upstate New York

A new study, co-authored by Stanford researcher Mark Z. Jacobson, finds that it is technically and economically feasible to convert New York’s all-purpose energy infrastructure to one powered by wind, water and sunlight (WWS). The plan outlines a way to a sustainable and reliable energy supply that will create local jobs and save the state billions of dollars in pollution-related costs. The study is the first to develop a plan to fulfill all of a state’s transportation, electric power, industry, and heating and cooling energy needs with renewable energy, and to calculate the number of new devices and jobs created, amount of land and ocean areas required, and policies needed for such an infrastructure change.While WWS conversion may come along with increased capital costs, they would be made up for by the elimination of fuel costs and the switch would also create a net gain in manufacturing and technology jobs. The calculations of this study outline exactly what sort of technology and how much of it will be needed to meet New York’s 2030 power demand for all sectors. Also according to the study, if New York switched to WWS, air pollution–related deaths would decline by about 4,000 annually and the state would save about $33 billion in related health costs every year. Currently, almost all of New York’s energy comes from imported oil, coal and gas. Under the plan that Jacobson and his fellow researchers advance, 40 percent of the state’s energy would come from local wind power, 38 percent from local solar and the remainder from a combination of hydroelectric, geothermal, tidal and wave energy. The authors of this study  are also developing similar plans for other states, including California and Washington.

Source: Stanford researchers map out an alternative energy future for New York, March 12, 2013

The designers were focused on the experience that visitors would get when they visited this site. Their aesthetic concept is for the balloons to sway with the breeze while reflecting sun rays and shadows down on the ground. Efficient solar energy was also a focus on the design. The balloons are comprised of photovoltaic solar generators with a height of 100 feet high up in the air between the pole holding up the balloon and the balloon itself. A very interesting aspect of this technology is when a visitor walks past a balloon, the red color fades and the solar system is illuminated so you can view how the technology functions. Each balloon has 7,000 square feet of transparent solar cells on it’s surface, generating about 150 MWH per year, and a total of 14,000 MWH between the entire installation of balloons.

Read more about this design and technology here. 

(Press release, Oct 23) — Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today received the Energy Highway Task Force’s Blueprint, a comprehensive plan that will add up to 3,200 megawatts (MW) of additional electric generation and transmission capacity and clean power generation through up to $5.7 billion in private investments. The 3,200 MW outlined in this blueprint would provide enough energy to power approximately 3.2 million homes.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo

The Energy Highway initiative, introduced in the 2012 State of the State address, is a centerpiece of the Governor’s Power NY agenda, which was put in place to ensure that New York’s energy grid is the most advanced in the nation and promotes increased business investment in the state.

“As we work to grow New York’s economy, we need reliable, affordable, and clean power to leverage significant private sector investments, to allow businesses to grow, and to create jobs,” Governor Cuomo said. “The energy highway will ensure that businesses and residential consumers across New York State have access to the affordable power they need to plan for not just today, but also for the future. An economy built to last requires a power infrastructure that gives businesses the confidence and security they need to hire new workers and plan for years to come, and this Blueprint continues to position New York State as a national leader in clean energy production and investment.”

The Blueprint includes specific actions designed to add up to 3,200 MW in new generation and transmission, including plans to:

• Invest $1 billion for 1000 MW of new electric transmission capacity
• Initiate $250 million in new renewable energy projects, leveraging $425 million in private investment and creating 270 MW of new power
• Modernize and repower existing inefficient, high emission plants to create 750 MW of power, enabled by approximately $1.5 billion investment. (Editor’s note: We assume most of this will be conversion of coal to natural gas)
• Generate 1,200 MW of additional capacity through approximately $1 billion investment to help meet reliability needs to address retiring power plants across the state. (Editor’s note: We assume much of this will involve natural gas)
• Accelerate $1.3 billion of investment in existing transmission and distribution projects to enhance reliability, improve safety, reduce cost to customers and reduce emissions.
• Invest $250 million to develop Smart Grid technologies and create the most advanced energy management control center in the country.
• Initiate field studies of Atlantic Ocean offshore wind development potential

The interagency Energy Highway Task Force will begin swift implementation of the proposed actions. These steps will significantly reduce the time required for development of energy infrastructure and includes a first-of-its-kind solicitation of new transmission projects by the Department of Public Service.

The Blueprint reaches every corner of the state with both locally focused and statewide actions to provide system reliability and economic development benefits. In Northern New York, strategic investments in transmission system upgrades will facilitate access for renewable energy projects to electricity markets. Western New York will undergo an immediate review of the viability of repowering options for power plants that have announced retirement plans and could benefit from a new Community Support Plan in the event plants are closed. Repowering, reducing transmission congestion, and offshore wind initiatives in the downstate region will help to green the power plant fleet supplying the highest energy demand area of the State. Upgrades throughout the state will support regional job growth and economic development.

The Energy Highway Task Force created the Blueprint after reviewing 130 responses provided by 85 entities including investor-owned utilities, private developers and investors in response to its Request for Information (RFI), issued in April. Public comments submitted on the RFI responses were also considered in the development of the plan as were publicly available reports and analyses. In April, along with the issuance of the RFI, the Task Force convened two conferences—an Energy Highway Summit at which power industry leaders explored the State’s energy issues and challenges, and a Conference of RFI Respondents and Interested Parties.

Governor Cuomo provided his vision for the Energy Highway in his 2012 State of the State address. He named Gil C. Quiniones, president and chief executive officer of the New York Power Authority, and Joseph Martens, commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as co-chairman of the Task Force. Joining them on the Task Force are Kenneth Adams, president, chief executive officer and commissioner of Empire State Development; Garry A. Brown, chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission; and Francis J. Murray, Jr., president and chief executive officer of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

To view the Energy Highway Blueprint, visit www.NYEnergyHighway.com.

A new PV array in Poughkeepsie. Lucas Braun photo.

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on August 9 announced that $107 million is available through the NY-Sun initiative for a major solar power incentive program that will increase the amount of electricity generated by PV systems throughout New York.

The NY-Sun Competitive PV Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), seeks proposals for large  PV systems (more than 50 kilowatts) to be installed at businesses, factories, municipal buildings and other larger commercial and industrial customers. A new website, http://ny-sun.ny.gov/, has been launched to provide a one-stop-shop for applicants seeking funding through the NY-Sun program.

“The NY-Sun initiative has helped establish New York State as a leader in solar power, and these investments in photovoltaic systems will allow businesses and municipalities to put in place green, cost-effective electric generating installations,” Governor Cuomo said. “In addition, these investments will further drive job growth in the state’s clean power industry, and create economic development in communities across New York. I encourage all businesses and municipalities eligible for these grants to apply.”

This phase of the program is available through the end of 2013 for PV projects in New York City and upstate New York at eligible customer sites. This is an expansion – both in geographical territory and in funding – of a two-year-old program that previously focused on large PV systems for the commercial, industrial and municipal sectors exclusively in New York City, Westchester County and the lower Hudson Valley. The awards announced yesterday by the Governor stemmed from this more limited 2-year-old program.

Through the newly established NY-Sun Competitive PV Program, $36.4 million will be available in 2012 and $70.5 million in 2013. All projects will require co-funding to best leverage state resources with funding capped at $3 million per project.

Proposals under the first round of the NY-Sun Competitive PV Program are due November 8 with the remaining two due dates for this program in the first and third quarters of 2013.

Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO, NYSERDA, said, “For the last two years, NYSERDA funding has helped spark interest in a wide variety of large solar-power projects in some of the most densely populated areas of the state. Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun Initiative will expand and stimulate the growth and deployment of solar technology while at the same time reducing demand on the grid throughout the state.”

Public Service Commission Chairman Garry Brown said, “Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun Initiative will help further the growth of solar energy in the state. Not only will this help diversify our energy supply and improve our environment, it will help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and stimulate economic opportunities.”

In addition to the competitive PV program, NYSERDA has also expanded its smaller-scale solar PV program (less than 50 kilowatts) under the NY-Sun Initiative. Monthly funding under this program has increased from $2 million to $3.5 million for the remainder of 2012 and will continue at $3.1 million per month in 2013. This standard offer, non-competitive open enrollment program provides funding for systems up to 7 kilowatts for residential sites and up to 50 kilowatts for non-residential sites.

Governor Cuomo launched the NY-Sun initiative to double the amount of customer-sited solar power installed annually in New York, and quadruple that amount by 2013 benchmarked against the amount installed during 2011. This initiative brings together and expands existing programs administered by NYSERDA, NYPA and Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), to ensure a coordinated and well-funded solar energy expansion plan.

The package includes these bills:

• A 34-B: Tax credits for solar energy system equipment.
• A 10620: Defines tax abatement for solar generating systems in cities of one million or more.
• A 5522-B: Exempts commercial solar systems from sales and compensating-use taxes and allows municipalities to grant tax exemptions.

Also see http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/080812ny-sun

This week ASES will be featuring the a local tour from Canton, NY. The Local Living Venture’s Green Home & Garden Tours will be held on October 13, 2012 from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM and hosted by the Sustainable Living Project. This is a self-guided tour that covers a variety of homes and homestead in the NW corner of New York. The great aspect of this tour is that some of the properties featured cover the entire homestead system including a variety of renewable energy technologies. This year, the tour will put a little more focus on wood and biomass burning stoves! Take a peak at Sustainable Living Project website here. To learn more about this tour, please click here.

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ASES will hold its annual National Solar Tour this fall where you can show your home, host a tour or go on a tour. If you’d like to donate to support ASES in its mission to promote solar, please click here. If you’d like to learn more about putting solar on your home or to find a local solar professional, click on the Find a Solar Installer Near You on the right side of ASES.org.