On Monday, April 13, from 12:00 to 1:00 P.M., NYCP’s Renewable Energy Speakers Series hosted Jonathan Cohen, the Policy Director for the New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA). Jonathan explained solar legislation currently under consideration in Albany, including the Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power (ASAP) ACT (Senate S6570A). New York surpassed its 6 GW goal more than a year ahead of schedule, in October 2024! The state is now well on track to meet the Governor’s expanded goal of 10 GW by 2030, with over 3.4 GW under development. With this rapid installation of distributed solar, it is time to increase the goal to 20 GW by 2035. Listen to the recording to understand why New York should pass the bill this session and how we can do it.
This recording is from NYCP’s renewable energy speaker series, Monday, March 9, from 12 to 1 P.M., with our special guests Claudia Villar-Leeman from NY-BEST and Cora Stryker from Bright Saver.
Claudia is the Senior Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST). She explained how our electricity grid works, why energy storage is critical to supporting reliability while keeping electricity bills down, and recent initiatives to support storage in the state, including a recent bill that would have large BESS projects reviewed by the Department of Public Service: S.5506 (Kavanagh)/A.8378 (Levenberg).
Cora Stryker is the cofounder of Bright Saver, the first and only nonprofit dedicated to making plug-in solar accessible to all Americans. Cora explained plug-in (“balcony”) solar, told us about the Solar Up Now New York (SUNNY Act). We also learned how to encourage our legislators to support policies that build a cleaner Empire State.
This a recording from our Renewable Supporters Speaker Series on September 8, 2025. Our guest was Troy Weldy, President of the Columbia Land Conservancy, who spoke about water quality and wetlands preservation in the development of solar projects on agricultural land.
Offshore Wind Power, Ports, & Job Creation in NY
Co-hosted with ACE NY, E2 and NRDC
Sept. 22, 1-2 pm ET –
ACE NY, E2, NRDC and New Yorkers for Clean Power are hosting a 1-hour virtual event during Climate Week NYC to discuss the challenges and enormous opportunities that offshore wind presents for port facilities and underserved communities. The panel discussion will begin with a short film by ACE NY on the topic.
Introduction to Opening Video: Anne Reynolds, Executive Director, ACE NY
Moderator: Nathanael Greene, Senior Renewable Energy Advocate, Climate & Clean Energy Program, NRDC
Introductions: Uchenna Bright, Eastern States Advocate, E2
Panelists:
Alba Pena, Community Engagement Manager, Equinor
Summer Storm Sandoval, Energy Democracy Coordinator, UPROSE
Willie White, Senior Employment and Training Specialist in the Youth and Workforce Services Department for the City of Albany, NY
Ross Gould, Vice President for Supply Chain Development, Business Network for Offshore Wind
Learn how NYS can greatly ramp up solar power generation to provide inexpensive, abundant, and reliable electricity on a large scale. Dr. Richard Perez will be presenting his research about how solar power has the technical capabilities to achieve this goal and what is needed to ensure that this transformation will be successful.
We will also be very briefly discussing the new proposed regulations from the NYS Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) about siting major renewable energy facilities, including for solar power, and next steps in this process.
Solar developers and farmers join forces to implement ways to supply clean power to the NY electric grid.
Speakers will discuss the benefits solar brings to NY farmers and wildlife, particularly our pollinators!
– Jeremy Verratti: Verratti Farms, Hartland NY and USES Steering Committee
– Rob Davis, Director, Center for Pollinators in Energy
Speakers will discuss the types of benefits available to New York communities that solar projects provide and how to submit a comment to the Public Service Commission on their proceeding about the Renewable Energy Facility Host Community Benefit Program! Click the link to submit a comment: https://usesny.org/psccommentcommunitybenefit/
Panelists include:
Kevin Campbell, Development Manager – EDF-Renewables
Kate Millar, Manager, Renewable Development -Invenergy
Rikki Cason, Manager – Cypress Creek
David Alicea, NY Organizing Representative -Sierra Club
Dan Spitzer – Attorney at Hodgson Ross
Haylee Ferrington, USES Steering Committee – Moderator
Join United Solar Energy Supporters to hear from speakers on the available apprenticeships & job trainings in the solar industry and the community benefits that utility-scale solar bring.
Speakers:
Giuseppina Agovino – Friends of Flint Mine Solar
Harrison Watkins – NYS Laborers Organizing Fund
Mike Bader – IBEW Local 86
Haylee Ferington – Clean Energy Communities Genesee
Support Renewable Energy & Save Money on Your Electricity Bill Each Month!
Tune in for information on New York’s community solar and hydroelectric projects, updates on the Value of Distributed Energy Resources (VDER), and the policies needed to move forward to improve solar energy in New York. Our speakers will be available to answer questions and provide information on what you can do to get involved in the renewable revolution!
Speakers:
Juan Parra, Solar One Community Solar Program Manager
Sarah Bower, Natural Power Group Co-Owner
Cal Trumann, SunCommon Solar Community Organizer
Emmett Smith, Northern Power Light Founder
Jessica Azulay, Alliance for a Green Economy Executive Director
The 664 solar panels on the rooftop of Bread Alone Bakery in Lake Katrine, NY produce 196 Kilowatts of electricity during the day. Checkout this short video to learn more!