New York will convene a summit to address its two-pronged climate goal — accelerating renewable energy buildout while strengthening its economy.
The Future Energy Economy Summit will look at the role next-generation technologies could play in providing solutions to challenges such as deployment of dispatchable emissions-free resources, which are expected to be critical to grid stability as the state relies more heavily on intermittent wind and solar power.
The event also will look at ways new clean energy technologies could support the establishment and expansion of new commercial and industrial enterprises in New York.
State agencies and authorities working to advance the clean energy transition will host the summit Sept. 4-5 in Syracuse. Power producers, technical experts, and labor, environmental and business groups are expected to attend.
New York has some of the most ambitious clean energy goals of any state.
An important focus of the summit will be looking beyond the wind, solar and hydropower generation that constitutes almost all the renewables now being operated or built in New York.
Organizers are looking for input on other technologies, such as next-generation geothermal, advanced nuclear, clean hydrogen and long-duration storage. This will help inform state strategies on using these new resources and using them in a way that fosters economic development.
New York’s clean energy transition has slowed amid soaring costs and lengthy permitting and interconnection processes, and the agencies leading the initiative say the state is on track to miss its first clean energy milepost in 2030, possibly by a wide margin.
The state has responded by allowing developers to rebid projects at higher prices and by attempting to streamline the yearslong review processes facing projects.
Technology development is perhaps a more complicated challenge to solve, but one the state has been tackling for years, including by supporting pilot projects and research.
The state Public Service Commission in mid-2023 began the fraught process of determining what constitutes zero-emissions energy (Case 15-E-0302) for the purposes of complying with the landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019.
The Future Energy Economy Summit is expected to provide further context for this effort by the PSC.
In her Aug. 5 announcement of the summit, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said: “Supporting our historic investments in renewable energy, this summit will bring together the brightest minds to explore how we can accelerate our progress, what potential roles next-generation technologies can play in stimulating economic growth and jobs throughout our state, and how New York’s innovation ecosystem can support these future industries.”
An unusually broad array of stakeholders contributed comments for the news release, reflecting the wide range of industry sectors and advocacy groups affected by the issues at the heart of the summit.
