Gov.'s Grid of the Future study advances innovative 'smart grid'

ALBANY | In anticipation of Earth Week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Public Service Commission has instituted a proceeding first detailed in her 2024 State of the State to transition New York to a more connected, affordable, resilient, and clean electric grid. During the proceeding, Public Service Commission staff will engage with stakeholders to develop a comprehensive New York Grid of the Future plan that establishes targets for the deployment of flexible resources such as virtual power plants and identifies the utility investments needed to enable the grid of the future. "New York will continue its tradition of innovation and leadership by building a clean, resilient power grid," Gov. Hochul said. "The Grid of the Future proceeding will help us establish deployment goals and strategies to help meet the State's nation-leading clean energy goals in a way that protects the wallets of all New Yorkers." The proceeding will begin with the development of a grid flexibility study, where Public Service Commission (PSC) staff will estimate the current and future potential capabilities of flexible resources across New York's electric grid. The study will also identify near-term actions likely to increase the deployment and use of flexible resources and the improved integration of flexible resources into grid planning and grid operations. Upon completion of the study, PSC staff will finalize the inaugural New York Grid of the Future Plan, which must be filed by Dec. 31, 2024. The plan will leverage the grid flexibility study to identify clear and actionable resource deployment goals and will establish key policies that include improved utility planning processes, new forms of compensation for customers who provide flexibility services, advancements in smart grid technologies, physical and cyber security protocols and most importantly, opportunities for customer savings and benefits. Public Service Commission Chair Rory M. Christian said, "As customers continue to choose electric appliances, cars and heating sources which are increasingly connected through devices, such as smart thermostats or smart EV chargers, we have a once in a generation opportunity to harness the inherent value of the flexible grid services those resources can provide, offering customers the opportunity for significant utility bill savings, while enabling a cleaner, more flexible and resilient grid of the future here in New York." The PSC notes that staff will file an updated plan by no later than Dec. 31, 2025, following a robust stakeholder engagement process that examines the initial plan and the grid flexibility study. Subsequent and periodic updates to the plan are expected, to ensure that customer-benefiting levels of flexible services are enabled, as the grid needs and capabilities continue to evolve. New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan New York State's climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation's most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $40 billion in 64 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York's climate action with more than 400 registered and more than 130 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State's largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

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Gov.'s Grid of the Future study advances innovative 'smart grid'

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