New York Adopts Statewide Solar for All Program

The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) has adopted a Solar for All program that the commission hopes will spur development of more solar and retail energy storage projects across the state. 

Going forward, the program will be administered by each of the investor-owned utilities that serve electric energy affordability program (EAP) customers, while the PSC took steps to improve New York’s opt-in Community Distributed Generation (CDG) program.

“We are ensuring more New Yorkers than ever before will have access to clean, solar energy so we can build a healthy future,” says Kathy Hochul, New York governor. “The Statewide Solar for All program will generate significant benefits for our health, our environment, our economy, and for the thousands of New Yorkers who will see lower electric bills.”

The program is set to combine the state’s utility-managed EAP and market-based community solar to deliver energy savings to low-income households. It plans to do so by pooling credits associated with renewable generation and distributing those credits on the bills of EAP customers. 

A community solar market is set to offer these customers the additional opportunity to opt into a local CDG project as well.