For Immediate Release: 4/19/18

John B. Rhodes,  Chair
                                              
Contact:
James Denn | James.Denn@dps.ny.gov | (518) 474-7080
 
 
 
  18027/18-E-0018; 17-E-0370; 16-M-0411; 15-E-0082 
April 19, 2018

PSC Takes Steps to Further Expand REV Activity in New York State

Commission Expands Ability to Integrate Energy Storage Devices, Boosts Upstate Energy Smart Community, Develops Energy Data-Sharing Platform, and Helps Farmers Gain Better Renewable Energy Options

 

ALBANY — The New York State Public Service Commission (Commission) today announced four actions related to Reforming the Energy Vision, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s strategy to lead on climate change and grow New York's economy. The decisions include: expanding the integration of larger energy storage technologies; moving forward with an upstate “energy smart” community project; creating an on-line platform to make it easier to share data amongst energy companies; and making it easier for farmers to use anaerobic digesters to produce electricity.
 
 “Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York State is creating a cleaner energy system that is good for New Yorkers and directly addresses climate change,” Commission Chair John B. Rhodes said. “To enhance New York's ability to store renewable energy and dispatch it when needed, Governor Cuomo has launched an initiative to deploy 1,500 megawatts of energy storage by 2025 and employ 30,000 New Yorkers in the energy storage industry. Through REV, New York is spurring private investment into new renewable power supplies, developing new clean-energy jobs and creating more clean energy choices for consumers.”
 
The Commission took four REV-related actions today:
 
  • Energy Storage: The Commission opened the door to distributed generation (DG) suppliers seeking to connect energy storage technologies to the distribution system, allowing for projects up to 5 MW to come on-line. In addition, the Commission enhanced the Standardized Interconnection Requirements (SIR) application and contract process. These revisions will provide for a much more efficient interconnection process that allows DG developers to connect projects to the distribution system without undue delay.
 
  • Energy Smart Community: The Commission approved NYSEG’s request to implement time differentiated electric rate options, on a pilot basis, for the Energy Smart Community (ESC) project. The ESC project, which includes the deployment of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) to approximately 12,000 customers in Ithaca, Tompkins County, and the surrounding towns. The pilot rates, including the selection of on-peak and off-peak time periods, are designed to convey strong price signals that focus on the system peak. For each service classification, the off-peak rates are at least 2.5 times less than the on-peak rates, which sends a clear price signal to customers, and provides them with a greater financial incentive to manage their energy usage.
 
  • Utility Energy Registry: The Commission directed the creation of the Utility Energy Registry, an on-line platform offering public access to customer-load data for the major utilities. Making community-level energy consumption data available for local planning, market research and community choice aggregation development, without providing an individual’s consumption data, fosters increased awareness of energy use patterns and promotes conservation. In addition, the Commission adopted a privacy standard for the provision of whole building data for apartment buildings. The creation of the Utility Energy Registry will help create a more information-centered power system. This modernized distribution platform will support the exchange of information between utilities, customers, service providers, and other third parties. Access to system and generic customer data are key components for more efficient and engaged markets. The Registry gets underway in mid-2018.
 
  • Agriculture Renewable Energy: The Commission ordered that Community Distributed Generation (CDG) projects serving only farm customers are no longer required to comply with a number of CDG program rules, including the 10-member minimum requirement. Instead, CDG projects with less than 10 members will be allowed. Farm-based generation, including farm digesters, offers the potential to contribute significantly to the State’s energy system and clean energy goals. As the REV initiative results in the evolution of the energy system, farm digesters will serve an increasingly larger role in meeting energy needs. Farm digesters may also create other, non-energy-related benefits, including reducing the carbon emissions of dairy farms. 
 
Reforming the Energy Vision
 
Reforming the Energy Vision is Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's strategy to lead on climate change and grow New York's economy. REV is building a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers by stimulating investment in clean technologies like solar, wind, and energy efficiency and requiring 50 percent of the state's electricity needs from renewable energy by 2030. Already, REV has driven growth of more than 1,000 percent in the statewide solar market, improved energy affordability for 1.65 million low-income customers, and created thousands of jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and other clean tech sectors. REV is ensuring New York reduces statewide greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and achieves the internationally recognized target of reducing emissions 80 percent by 2050. To learn more about REV, including the Governor's $5 billion investment in clean energy technology and innovation, visit rev.ny.gov, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Today’s decisions may be obtained by going to the Commission Documents section of the Commission’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Numbers 18-E-0018 [Standardized Interconnection Requirements (SIR) for Small Distributed Generators]; 17-E-0370 [Energy Smart Community]; 16-M-0411 [Utility Energy Registry]; or 15-E-0082 [Agriculture Renewable Energy] in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number". Many libraries offer free Internet access. Commission documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call us at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.
 

 
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