Original article appeared on www.news10.com on August 1st, 2016 by Joe Gullo. Click here to view the original article.
The Clean Energy Standard requires 50 percent of New York’s electricity to come from renewable energy sources like wind and solar by 2030.
The standards will be phased in with 26.31 percent of the state’s energy load coming from renewable energy in 2017 and grow to 30.54 percent in 2021.
“New York has taken bold action to become a national leader in the clean energy economy and is taking concrete, cost-effective steps today to safeguard this state’s environment for decades to come,” Governor Cuomo said.
The governor’s office says the Clean Energy Standard is the state’s way to fight climate change, reduce harmful air pollution, and ensure a diverse and reliable energy supply.
The Clean Energy Standard will be enforced by requiring utilities and other energy suppliers to obtain a targeted number of Renewable Energy Credits each year.
The plan is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent (from 1990 levels) and by 80 percent by 2050.
According to the governor’s office, the plan will cost less than $2 a month to the average residential customer’s bill.
