Faced with concerns about whether New York State can still meet the nation-leading energy goals set out in its 2019 climate law, including 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2040, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) reiterated that the ambitious goals will not change.
Speaking at the state-sponsored Future Energy Economy Summit in Syracuse, N.Y., on Sept. 5, Hochul touted progress on his climate change mitigation agenda, citing the completion last year of the country’s first utility-scale offshore wind project; its leadership in the United States in community solar development; and a clean energy transmission effort that finishes projects “five times faster” than the national average. she said But much of the transmission work so far has been done in upstate regions that already use clean energy, and observers noted that the upgrades needed to convert an aging grid in New York City and Long Island fueled mainly by fossil fuel will be expensive.
“New York is furiously committed to the 2019 climate goals,” Hochul said. “We can figure it out.”
But with new cost and supply chain hurdles affecting project timelines and keeping climate law milestones on track, along with New York’s most recent push to attract large, high-tech manufacturing plants , observers predict a likely energy deficit by 2032, especially in the north of the state.
“I am doing everything I humanly can to launch the economies of the future; it’s happening right now,” Hochul said. “They all have to be source fed and our capacity, my friends, is not there right now.”
With new federal and state incentives, semiconductor maker Micron Technology is investing $100 billion to set up new facilities in Onondaga County that officials say could create 50,000 new jobs.
Amber Bieg, senior director of Micron’s global sustainability program, pointed to New York’s clean energy goals and the potential to have needed “uninterruptible power” for what would be 24-hour operations. “We support any clean energy to meet our energy goals, even nuclear,” he said.
Expansion of battery storage is also expected. “It’s the next billion dollar industry,” said Bill Acker, executive director of the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium. “We’re on the right track for short-term storage, but not there yet in long-term technology. New York can be a leader with the right investments.”
With the need to expand clean energy beyond wind, solar and hydroelectric, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority presented a draft “blueprint” for the advanced development of the ‘nuclear power, just a few years after the state shut down its last large-scale nuclear plant. , the controversial Indian Point facility in northern New York City.
More compact advanced reactors “could offer attractive possibilities for New York, with scalability, economic development, low land use, and potential process heat applications … that can complement New York’s renewable generation,” says the draft But he also cites obstacles such as “technological readiness, costs and environmental justice, among other factors.”
Marc Nichol, executive director of new nuclear at the Nuclear Energy Institute, said “the risks of building nuclear are real, even for small projects. Companies want partnerships with the government.” He added that his group is developing an “early move” risk management policy.
Responses to the draft project must be submitted to NYSERDA by October 5.
