Albany – Assembly Energy Committee Chair Kevin Cahill (D-Ulster, Dutchess) announced that the Assembly passed a measure to make remote net-metering of excess energy possible for residential homes, non-residential sites, small businesses, schools, municipalities and farms (A.11413-A). Net-metering allows ratepayers who produce renewable energy to send any excess power they generate back to the utility grid. Currently, customers are credited for the excess energy they produce, and they receive credits on their monthly utility bills.

“Making renewable, clean energy more accessible is an important step towards energy independence for New York,” said Assemblymember Cahill. “This bill allows excess energy at one location to be used at another location owned by the customer. It’s a win-win because it saves customers money and reduces our reliance on dirty, high-emissions fossil fuels.”

This legislation allows a utility customer to install a wind-power, solar-energy or farm-waste generator at an alternative location – within a 25-mile radius of the original meter – and have the excess credit applied to their residential or commercial account. This measure would permit customer-generators to optimize the generating capability of the power source by allowing more flexibility regarding the placement of the generator at a location that would maximize production.

“This bill will spread the use of renewable energy and net-metering, which helps reduce the stress on the state’s electric grid and the pocketbooks of New Yorkers,” Assemblymember Cahill said. “It would also increase the development of alternative energy jobs and technology, further establishing us as a leader in renewable energy production in the emerging 21st century economy.”