Progressives warn state’s plan won’t produce enough renewable energy

Clean energy activists and progressive politicians are pushing back against the lack of renewable energy mandates in the New York Power Authority’s new Renewables Draft Strategic Plan. Although the authority maintains that it is acting on a state budget that lawmakers and the governor approved, and making progress towards a cleaner future, activists say that NYPA is ignoring the Build Public Renewables Act that was included in last year’s state budget.

NYPA’s strategic plan, which comes as clean energy projects are stymied by technological, logistical, financial and legislative delays, includes 40 projects that will create 3.5 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 – enough energy to power nearly 3 million homes. Activists say that’s not enough, and the state must create 15 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 – enough to power more than 11 million homes– in order to meet its clean energy goals. 

“The Renewables Strategic Plan is an abrogation of NYPA’s responsibility to ensure that the state reaches 100% renewables by 2040, and their duty to New Yorkers to build a better future for future generations … This is why our coalition and the tens of thousands of New Yorkers we represent sent 14,600 letters to Governor Hochul, Driscoll, and the Board demanding that NYPA build at least 15 gigawatts of public renewable energy by 2030” the clean energy advocacy group Public Power New York said in a statement. The group also expressed concern that NYPA’s high attrition rate will further reduce the amount of renewable energy that is ultimately produced.

Assembly Member Sarahana Shrestha, who sponsored the Build Public Renewables Act, accused NYPA CEO Justin Driscoll of falling short of the goals of the bill. “We want Justin Driscoll to understand the power he has and the power his state authority has to play a role in meeting climate goals and delivering economic justice to people through these automatic discounts on their bills and creating green jobs that people in New York really, really need,” Shrestha said during a September protest in front of NYPA’s White Plains headquarters. “It's not easy right now to get a livable job that people are inspired to work at, and this bill, through the 15 gigawatt demand, has the power to do that.”

The Build Public Renewables Act allows NYPA to build and enact projects with the purpose of meeting the state’s climate goals. Under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, the state must by 2030 get 70% of its electricity from renewable energy and cut overall greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. The language included in the 2023 budget bill was hazy however, using phrasing like “may” rather than “will,” which means that NYPA is not legally obligated to produce 15 gigawatts of renewable energy. The authority has acted accordingly, rolling out a renewable energy strategy that isn’t as ambitious as some hoped. 

Despite activists’ concerns, NYPA believes it is meeting the moment. During a board meeting preceding the draft plan’s release, NYPA board members stressed that this was new territory for them. 

“In the past 18 months, NYPA has not only identified 40 projects/3.5 GW of potential capacity, but also laid the groundwork for our continued role in renewable energy projects through future strategic plans,” NYPA spokesperson Lindsay Kryzak said in a statement. “While we do expect to see some level of attrition as we make decisions to build the best projects for New Yorkers, NYPA Renewables was designed to bring new tranches of projects with each biennial Strategic Plan, or more frequently as necessary.”

The Hochul administration, which activists have singled out for criticism alongside NYPA and Driscoll, also touted the progress the state had made and planned to make on its clean energy goals. "New York has taken significant steps to implement the Climate Act and we will continue our ongoing efforts to build a clean energy economy and tackle the climate crisis," Hochul spokesperson Paul DeMichele said. 

Barring a massive change in the energy sector’s economic realities or an upswell in public sentiment, NYPA’s plans will hew close to the draft they released. But as NYPA Chair John Koelmel put it in their meeting in early October, it's “not a fully baked cake.”