Directs the New York state energy research and development authority to conduct a study of the technical and economic feasibility and ratepayer impact of a zero-emission electrical system and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4999--B
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM, FALL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Energy -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again
reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to directing the
New York state energy research and development authority to conduct a
study of the technical and economic feasibility and ratepayer impact
of a zero-emission electrical system and a reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new
2 section 1885 to read as follows:
3 § 1885. Supplemental study on the technical and economic feasibility
4 of a one hundred percent renewable energy system and a reduction in
5 greenhouse gas emissions. 1. On or before January first, two thousand
6 twenty-five, and every four years thereafter, the authority, in consul-
7 tation and coordination with the department of public service and the
8 department of environmental conservation, and the federally designated
9 electric bulk system operator, shall publish and update a comprehensive
10 study to determine the technical and economic feasibility and ratepayer
11 impact of meeting the following goals:
12 (a) having the statewide electrical demand system be zero-emissions by
13 the year two thousand forty pursuant to section sixty-six-p of the
14 public service law and one hundred percent of the electricity consumed
15 in the state generated by renewable energy resources by the year two
16 thousand thirty-four, and, alternatively, the year two thousand fifty-
17 four.
18 (b) reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions by a percentage of
19 nineteen hundred ninety emissions from greenhouse gas emission sources,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06331-06-3
A. 4999--B 2
1 pursuant to chapter one hundred six of the laws of two thousand nine-
2 teen, as follows:
3 (i) by two thousand thirty: sixty percent of nineteen hundred ninety
4 emissions; and
5 (ii) by two thousand fifty: fifteen percent of nineteen hundred ninety
6 emissions.
7 2. Such study shall include, at a minimum, an assessment of each of
8 the following:
9 (a) the timing, costs, economic impacts, ratepayer impacts and feasi-
10 bility associated with pathways to meet these goals pursuant to the
11 final scoping plan adopted by the New York state climate action council
12 pursuant to chapter one hundred six of the laws of two thousand nine-
13 teen. In terms of the evaluation of costs, the study shall:
14 (i) evaluate, using the best available economic models, emission esti-
15 mation techniques and other scientific methods, the total potential
16 costs and potential economic and non-economic benefits of meeting these
17 goals; and
18 (ii) evaluate the economic impact of meeting the goals on the state's
19 businesses, jobs, ratepayers and residents assuming:
20 (A) the renewable and greenhouse gas emissions goals of other states
21 and regions in the United States are at least fifty percent lower than
22 New York state's goals;
23 (B) the renewable and greenhouse gas emissions goals of other states
24 and regions in the United States are as those in place as of the date of
25 the study;
26 (C) the existence of technology in place as of the date of the study.
27 (b) the technical and cost impact on maintaining electric system reli-
28 ability, including but not limited to, the need for and type of back-up
29 power supplies and of energy storage systems and of zero-emission
30 dispatchable resources to maintain electric system reliability.
31 (c) the short-term and long-term actions to feasibly meet the goals
32 across all economic sectors, including industry, transportation, agri-
33 culture, building construction and energy production, including:
34 (i) an analysis of the anticipated emission reductions, and the
35 economic implications and ratepayer impact thereof, as a result of each
36 action.
37 (ii) identification of the anticipated life-cycle implications, conse-
38 quences, benefits and costs of implementing each action, including
39 implications, consequences, benefits and costs to New York state, local
40 governments, businesses, ratepayers and residents from implementation of
41 each action.
42 (iii) detailed analysis to estimate the annual and total cost impact
43 on electric and natural gas bills for all customer sectors across the
44 state, including, but not limited to, residential, small and large busi-
45 ness customers, associated with the implementation of the adopted scop-
46 ing plan, along with a range of costs, based upon the selection of vari-
47 ous potential decarbonization pathways, to minimize costs and to
48 maximize the total benefits to New York state.
49 (iv) specific cost study scenarios that show residential, commercial,
50 industrial, and institutional energy consumers', along with local
51 governments, increased costs, not only on the electric system, but also
52 on the gas system.
53 (A) The analysis shall specify consumers' costs of installing or
54 accessing renewable energy and energy storage, replacing their heating
55 systems, upgrading their electric service, purchasing electric cars, and
56 charging them.
A. 4999--B 3
1 (B) The analysis shall detail how consumers will pay for these meas-
2 ures, assess whether the adopted scoping plan includes sufficient meas-
3 ures to avoid or reduce upfront costs on consumers, and recommend addi-
4 tional affordability measures.
5 (d) estimated timelines for considering and implementing such actions.
6 (e) exploration of various renewable technology, energy storage, zero-
7 emission dispatchable resources and energy efficiency deployment scenar-
8 ios.
9 (f) a requirement for any new vehicles sold in the state to be powered
10 by electricity generated by renewable energy resources or otherwise to
11 be free of emissions.
12 (g) proposals for new structures constructed in the state to be net
13 zero-emission structures.
14 (h) transition to renewable heating and cooling provided by heat pumps
15 powered by renewable energy resources or other means resulting in net
16 zero emissions.
17 (i) the economic and social benefits of greenhouse gas emissions
18 reductions, taking into account the federal social cost of carbon, any
19 other tools that the authority deems useful and pertinent for this anal-
20 ysis, and any environmental, economic and public health co-benefits
21 (such as the reduction of co-pollutants and the diversification of ener-
22 gy sources), and avoiding, lowering, minimizing, offsetting, or mitigat-
23 ing, to the maximum extent practicable using verifiable measures, any
24 significant increase of the existing disproportionate pollution burden
25 on a disadvantaged community, pursuant to subdivision three of section
26 seven of chapter one hundred six of the laws of two thousand nineteen,
27 provided that the term "pollution" shall have the same meaning as
28 defined in subdivision nineteen of section 1-0303 of the environmental
29 conservation law.
30 3. Such study shall build upon relevant expertise already at the
31 authority's disposal.
32 4. The authority may contract with an independent and competitively
33 selected contractor to undertake such study.
34 5. The authority, and any contractors it may retain for such purposes,
35 shall consult with entities that have resources and expertise to assist
36 in such study, including, but not limited to, academic partners, elec-
37 tric corporations, gas corporations, electricity generating companies,
38 trade organizations, environmental justice groups, labor unions and
39 other stakeholders.
40 6. The authority shall prepare a report on such study's findings. The
41 authority shall transmit such report along with the study to the gover-
42 nor, the speaker of the assembly, the temporary president of the senate,
43 the chair of the assembly energy committee, and the chair of the senate
44 energy and telecommunications committee no later than thirty days after
45 the study's completion.
46 7. The Long Island power authority and the power authority of the
47 state of New York are authorized, as deemed feasible and advisable by
48 their respective boards, to make a voluntary contribution toward the
49 study.
50 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
