Assemblymember Brindisi’s Legislation to Extend the Benefits of Remote Net-Metering Passes the Assembly

May 9, 2012

Assemblymember Anthony J. Brindisi (D-Utica) announced that legislation he sponsored to include micro-hydroelectric generation within the state’s remote net-metering law has passed both houses of the legislature (A.9560/S.6670).

"Anything we can do to help lower electric costs for farms helps us all in the end," Brindisi said. "This is just one more example of how we are working to make New York State and the Mohawk Valley more business-friendly."

Currently, remote net-metering only applies to electricity produced by wind, solar or farm waste energy generating equipment used by farm and non-residential customer-generators. This legislation goes beyond that to allow qualified customers to apply credit received for power delivered to any of the meters on their property, rather than just the meter where the power is produced. Customers with renewable energy systems will still be able to sell excess energy back to their local utilities.

"The ability to net-meter energy using micro-hydroelectric generating equipment will be very helpful to farms that are already struggling with high energy costs," said Jeff Williams, Manager of Governmental Relations at the New York Farm Bureau. "Establishing that micro-hydroelectric generating equipment is eligible for net metering brings this technology in line with net metering laws for solar, wind and farm waste energy systems that are owned by farm operations and non-residential customers. New York Farm Bureau appreciates Assemblyman Brindisi's support of renewable energy and the agricultural industry though his sponsorship of this legislation."

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