As the third most populous state in the nation, New York has a huge upside when it comes to developing renewable energy sources – and that fact hasn’t been lost on Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

On Wednesday, during his 2014 State of the State Address, the Governor confirmed that solar energy remains a priority for his administration.

Immediately afterward, SEIA joined Vote Solar in congratulating Gov. Cuomo and the State of New York for their continued commitment to solar initiatives, which have significantly increased solar installations across the state, supported thousands of local jobs and increased energy resilience.

Simply put, New York State had a great year for solar in 2013. Under Gov. Cuomo’s strong leadership, we have seen New York’s solar investment increase exponentially, creating quality jobs, improving the environment and reducing red tape.  We look forward to working with his administration on the implementation of the next phase of NY-Sun, and on programs such as community solar, the Green Bank and other initiatives.

Last year, Gov. Cuomo committed to a 10-year extension of his NY-Sun Initiative, a public-private partnership designed to drive growth in the state’s solar industry and lower solar costs for all New Yorkers. Since its launch in 2012, NY-Sun has resulted in almost 300 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic capacity installed or under development, more than was installed in the entire decade prior to the program, according to the Governor’s office. The program also streamlines permitting processes, reducing costs for solar projects. A long-term extension of the program will build on NY-Sun’s early success and provide the policy certainty needed to build and sustain a world-class solar market in New York.

In December, the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) approved funding for the NY-Sun Initiative through 2015 and authorized the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to further enhance and expand the successful program through 2023. NYSERDA acted quickly, issuing a petition Monday to fund an impressive 3,000 MW statewide solar deployment goal and to transition NY-Sun to a transparent, market-based MW Block structure.

In 2013 the Governor also launched a $1 billion Green Bank focused on leveraging public dollars to mobilize private sector investment in the state’s clean energy economy. The Green Bank is expected to launch its initial product offerings in 2014.

SEIA and Vote Solar applaud Gov. Cuomo’s commitment to clean, renewable solar energy and look forward to working with the state on the implementation of the NY-Sun expansion, community solar, the Green Bank and future initiatives.   

With enough solar to power more than 30,900 homes, New York currently ranks 12^th in the country for installed solar capacity.  But clearly, thanks to Gov. Cuomo’s leadership, the best is yet to come!