AWEA and Alliance for Clean Energy New York Urge Governor Cuomo to Support Carbon Pricing as Model for the Nation

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) urged New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to support an innovative, first-in-the-nation proposal to account for the cost of carbon emissions in New York's wholesale electricity markets, which would be the most cost effective way to meet the state's ambitious clean energy goals.

AWEA CEO Tom Kiernan and ACE-NY Executive Director Anne Reynolds wrote Governor Cuomo to support a proposal that the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) and other stakeholders have been designing since 2017 that would factor the estimated damages caused by carbon emissions into the energy market.  

New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, passed earlier this year, requires utilities to source 70% of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030. AWEA and ACE NY wrote that carbon pricing is key to meeting that requirement.

"New York already has commendable goals in place to achieve renewable energy and climate progress. Carbon pricing would serve as an essential and highly effective complement to those laws-aligning market forces with policy goals," Kiernan said. "This will allow New York to achieve its decarbonization goals in the most affordable way that benefits the state's families and businesses. By adopting this proposal, Gov. Cuomo can position New York as a model for the rest of the nation in deploying market-based solutions to meet clean energy goals."

"New York needs to use every tool in the toolbox to meet these goals." Reynolds said. "Under Carbon Pricing, clean power will be valued for supplying carbon-free electricity, and that will bring more clean energy to New York." 

Kiernan and Reynolds added that providing a long-term market signal for renewable investment through carbon pricing will also make New York more attractive for job-creating investments in renewable energy manufacturing and services. 

"Currently, your State's wholesale electricity market-like all electricity markets-does not capture the cost of carbon pollution to society," Kiernan and Reynolds wrote to Cuomo.  As a result, zero-emission resources, such as wind and solar, are not appropriately valued by the market for their ability to reduce carbon emissions and help New York meet its ambitious goals."  

Multiple independent studies have shown the proposed policy would help ensure and expedite New York's pursuit of aggressive and ambitious goals to reduce carbon pollution while lowering the costs of transitioning New York to a clean energy economy.

AWEA | www.awea.org

ACENY | www.aceny.org