Less Talk, More Action: Andrew Yang’s Renewable Energy Plan Calls for Community Solar on Landfills, Sets Aggressive Goals for Clean Energy and Battery Storage

Said Andrew Yang, “We all agree the city needs to embrace the green economy, but the city has moved too slowly for too long. What we need now is action. Shovels in the ground. People back to work. A transition away from dirty energy. Every day we wait is a missed opportunity for our economy, our health, and our future. My administration won’t wait to pursue these important projects and essential goals.”

To get there, Andrew will:

• Deploy 500 megawatts solar, 1.5 gigawatts of battery storage, siting, permitting and building transmission, and supporting offshore wind production;
• Reduce building energy emissions and emissions from other sources like vehicle tailpipes and waste;
• Protect vulnerable neighborhoods from a changing climate;
• Put social and racial justice at the center of the City’s climate work and make sure all New Yorkers have the skills to participate in the green economy; and 
• Educate the next generation on climate change. 

Local Law 97 currently requires a reduction in total citywide emissions of 40% below the 2005 baseline by 2030. Andrew’s plan will accelerate the City’s progress, putting New York on a path to reach 50% reductions by 2030. The plan includes permitting for new transmission lines to connect into upstate and offshore wind, finishing the transmission line connecting NYC to Hydro Quebec, accelerating solar deployment, and permitting 1.5 gigawatts of distributed battery storage.  It also calls for common sense steps, like raising the cap on community solar production. Community solar provides discounted, clean electricity to low-income families. Private solar developers can install an additional 50 megawatts of community solar per year with the right incentives and with access to appropriate sites. The City can be a partner here. Edgemere Landfill is one of thousands of brownfield sites around New York City that can be repurposed as community solar installations.  The consequences for inaction are clear. Each year, 130 New Yorkers die because of heat exposure, And almost a decade after Superstorm Sandy, the City remains highly vulnerable to storm surges. Outdated stormwater management systems are inadequate and when a big rain hits, low income neighborhoods in places like southeast Queens are flooded.  Andrew has previously joined the groundbreaking for an energy storage facility in Brooklyn and joined community leaders in Long Island City to call for a $250 million geothermal energy plant.  Andrew’s full plan to address climate change and build a resilient New York City is here.