SEIA: NY Gov Cuomo Signs Legislation to Promote Solar Energy; Do you know the position of your candidates on solar energy? August 19, 2012
Posted by Laura Arnold in Uncategorized.Tags: Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), NY Governor Cuomo, NYSun Program, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
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I am providing information about solar energy incentives from yet another state to provide “food for thought” for Indiana and elsewhere. Tell me what you think? Laura Ann Arnold– Email me at Laura.Arnold@IndianaDG.net.
For Immediate Release
August 17, 2012
SEIA Statement: New York Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation to Promote Solar Energy
WASHINGTON – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo today approved legislation allowing solar energy to continue its rapid growth in the state. The package of bills, all related to tax exemption of solar projects in New York, is likely to have a positive impact on the total amount of electricity derived from renewables in the state. The Solar Energy Industries Association ® (SEIA ®) applauded the new laws, which will keep New York’s impressive solar growth on track to achieve its renewable energy goals in the NYSun Program.
“We applaud Governor Cuomo, as well as Senator George Maziarz and Assemblyman Cahill for their bipartisan work paving the way for solar to succeed in New York State,” said Carrie Cullen Hitt, Vice President for State Affairs at SEIA. “By making it more affordable for businesses and homeowners to install solar systems, these laws are vital to helping New York realize its goal of 45 percent renewable-powered electricity by 2015. We look forward to continuing to work with state leaders so that New York can meet its total solar market potential in the near future.”
New York is home to about 7,500 solar photovoltaic (PV) solar installations and it ranks 6th in the nation in number of PV systems. These systems have the capacity to produce 121 megawatts of clean solar energy – enough to power nearly 20,000 homes. In addition to these new laws, the state has several other policies in place to promote solar investment, including a feed-in tariff through Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) customer-sited tiered program, and net metering – rules that credit customers for excess power generated.
The bill package signed by Gov. Cuomo today includes:
- Bill A 34-B: Provides tax credits for solar energy system equipment.
- Bill A 10620: Provides for the amount of tax abatement for solar generating systems in cities of one million or more.
- Bill A 5522-B: Exempts the sale and installation of commercial solar energy systems from state sales and compensating use taxes and allows municipalities to grant these systems a tax exemption as well.
Today, the U.S. solar energy industry employs 100,000 Americans at more than 5,600 companies, mostly small businesses, across the nation in all 50 states.
About SEIA:
Established in 1974, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,100 member companies to make solar a mainstream and significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.
Background Materials:
Media Contacts:
Jamie Nolan, jnolan@seia.org, 202.556.2886
Monique Hanis, mhanis@seia.org, 202.556.2885
Long Island Gets Solar Feed-In Tariff June 8, 2012
Posted by Laura Arnold in Feed-in Tariffs (FiT), Uncategorized.Tags: Clean Coalition, CLEAN Solar Initiative, Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), Unified Solar Permitting Initiative
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Long Island Gets Solar Feed-In Tariff.
SustainableBusiness.com News
Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), the local utility, is getting ready to implement the “CLEAN Solar Initiative,” pending approval of its Board of Trustees.
Starting July 1, CLEAN will pay a fixed rate of 22 cents per kilowatt-hour for 20 years from on-site solar systems. The goal is to add 50 megawatts (MW) of commercial-scale solar – the pilot Fit continues through 2013.
These long term power purchase contracts will be available for solar systems between 50 kilowatts (kW) and 500 kW, mid-sized installations that often fall through the cracks. They are too big for residential systems, which have net metering incentives and too small for utility-scale developers.
One the program reaches the 50 MW cap, or in 2014, LIPA will decide whether to keep, tweak or expand the initiative. The program is funded by a $0.45 cents charge on customer utility bills.
Governor Cuomo has called for NY State to quadruple on-site solar by 2013, and the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard requires 30% from renewables by 2015.
Long Island has 4,571 residential and 609 commercial solar systems. BP Solar built Long Island’s sole utility-scale solar plant, a 32 MW system (164,312 modules) at the US Dept of Energy’s Brookhaven National Lab, the largest on the East Coast. An additional 18 MW are being installed as solar carports in various locations in Suffolk County.
Palo Alto and Los Angeles recently launched CLEAN FiTs and Fort Collins is expected to start one this year. 10 other cities or states have FiTs in the US. 23 of the EU’s 27 countries use FiTs.
Streamlined Solar Permitting
Many towns on Long Island have also adopted a “Unified Solar Permitting Initiative,” which streamlines the permitting process for installing solar.
All 10 towns and six villages in Suffolk County have adopted it along with nine villages in Nassau County.
Different regulations in each town and village creates confusion, delays and extra costs – the new standardized process that requires less paperwork makes it much easier for solar installations to move forward.
Read more about FiTs, which are now being called CLEAN programs in the US:
Website: www.clean-coalition.org/introduction-to-clean-programs/
