New York Governor expands solar target from 6 GW to 10 GW by 2030

Today’s announcement by Governor Hochul is a critical step forward for New York’s renewable energy landscape and a milestone on our path to a fully decarbonized economy. Widespread solar deployment — particularly local solar and storage — has a key role to play in meeting the pollution reduction targets mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Extreme weather events have driven home the urgency of the climate crisis: strengthening local energy systems will yield immediate and widespread health, resilience and affordability benefits. 

While Vote Solar and our partners have advocated for a 12 gigawatt distributed solar target, the goal announced today represents a major commitment from the Hochul Administration to implementing bold, science-driven solutions. We’re hopeful that this 10 gigawatt goal is just the beginning of a transformational shift in our state’s energy grid. 

As the Administration works to meet this ambitious but necessary goal, it’s critical that deployment in New York’s underserved communities leads the charge. We look forward to continuing our work with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Hochul Administration to ensure that the clean energy transition empowers and serves communities bearing the heaviest climate burdens.