Mayor Mamdani: It’s Time to Give New Yorkers Their Power Back
By Elena Weissmann and Steve Levin
When Zohran Mamdani ran for mayor, he spoke plainly about what New Yorkers are up against: sky-high costs and a city that too often leaves working families behind. Now, as his Administration ramps up, we offer a roadmap for how solar and batteries can help the Mayor deliver a “city we can afford.”
Providing rent relief and transit fixes are central to making New York City more affordable and livable, but in addition to this, we’re urging Mayor Mamandani to tackle another cost that is squeezing every family in this city: the electric bill.
New York City is facing serious challenges when it comes to energy. Our grid runs on some of the oldest infrastructure in the country and is projected to face an energy shortfall in the coming years. Electricity rates are already more than 50% above the national average — and they’re rising. With the federal government and Governor Hochul retreating from clean energy investments and climate commitments, New York City cannot count on help from Washington or wait for Albany.
But, here’s the good news. Local solar and battery storage are the fastest and cheapest energy technologies available, and New York has already proven that they work. The state’s distributed solar program – comprising rooftop and community solar – is one of the few unambiguous clean energy successes in recent memory — on track to meet its 10-gigawatt goal ahead of schedule and under budget. A January 2026 study found that expanding local solar and storage could deliver $1 billion in annual utility bill savings for New Yorkers by 2035.
That’s real money back in the pockets of the renters and small businesses Mayor Mamdani is fighting for.
The actions we recommend, together with advocates from the climate, environmental justice, and housing communities, would make solar a real cost-of-living solution for all New Yorkers. The bottom line is, New York City needs to go further and faster on clean, affordable energy, and the Mayor has an opportunity to lead the way.
First, we’re calling on Mayor Mamdani to set more ambitious solar and storage goals for New York City. Establishing strong targets is important to drive the comprehensive regulatory and policy changes we need to scale more affordable, cleaner power and address the growing reliability crisis facing New York City.
Second, we’re asking the Mayor to make solar and batteries more accessible to New Yorkers of all stripes. There are many cost-effective strategies for this that are at the Administration’s fingertips. For affordable housing and nonprofits, which are currently locked out of the city’s main solar incentive, there’s a fix-it bill in Albany ready and waiting for the Mayor’s support. For homeowners, the City should cut permitting and inspection red tape that adds thousands of dollars to the cost of residential solar installation. The Mayor should also align our fire code to the state’s new nation-leading standards for battery storage– a straightforward update that would finally make home batteries available to City residents.
Third, we are calling on the Administration to put the City’s resources and purchasing power to work. We support fulfilling the Mayor’s campaign promise to renovate 500 public schools with solar and upgraded HVAC systems. The City should also deploy solar and batteries on underutilized public land, and support Council legislation to build 300 megawatts of storage on public buildings by 2030.
Solar and storage aren’t a niche environmental priority. They are a direct response to the affordability crisis squeezing New Yorkers. They deliver immediate bill savings. They create good local jobs. They make our communities more resilient. And they are ready to deploy, right now, at scale.
The recommendations we shared with the Mamdani administration are practical, achievable, and grounded in the lived realities of New Yorkers. They reflect a simple truth: when designed intentionally, solar and storage can advance affordability, resilience, and justice at the same time. New York City has an opportunity and a responsibility to step forward and act decisively. We look forward to working alongside Mayor Mamdani and his team to make New York City a national model for what an affordable, equitable, and resilient energy system can look like.
Elena Wessmann is Vote Solar’s Northeast Regional Director
Steve Levin is the Chief Executive Officer of Solar One