Harckham, Environmental and Labor Advocates Call for ASAP Act and a Solar Powered NY

Albany, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham was joined today by environmental and labor advocates at major rally at the State Capitol in support of legislation that aims to advance the successes of New York’s solar energy sector, as it creates thousands of new green jobs statewide, saves ratepayers billions of dollars and avoids emitting millions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The rally, which took place at the Million Dollar Staircase, was in support of the Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power (ASAP) Act (S.6570), legislation introduced by Harckham that sets a new target for “distributed”—i.e. rooftop and community—solar energy capacity. In addition to raising New York’s rooftop and community solar goal to 20 gigawatts (GW) by 2035, the ASAP Act directs the New York’s Public Service Commission (PSC) to implement common-sense reforms to the utility interconnection process in order to lower costs and accelerate deployment.

To see a video of the rally, click here.

“The implementation of solar energy systems statewide, including in underserved, low-income communities, deserves as much support and encouragement as possible,” said Harckham. “New York’s clean energy momentum is an incubator for good-paying blue- and white-collar jobs and ramping up our gigawatt goals will reduce energy costs for residents, provide cleaner, healthier air to breathe as well, and benefit our communities in countless ways.”

New York must significantly scale up clean energy deployment to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) mandate of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and zero-emissions electricity by 2040. ASAP raises the state’s distributed solar target from 10 GW by 2030 to 20 GW by 2035, supporting residential, commercial, and community solar access across New York. The legislation also directs the PSC and NYSERDA to develop a plan to cost-effectively achieve the expanded solar goal.

State Senator Liz Krueger said, “Solar is leading the way in delivering a more affordable and sustainable clean energy future in New York. We should be doubling down on this winning bet by increasing our ambitions and getting rid of unnecessary costs that weigh down solar interconnections. I thank Sen. Harckham for his leadership on this important issue.”

Assemblymember Didi Barrett, chair of the Assembly Energy Committee, said, “New Yorkers have worked hard to reach—and surpass—the state’s distributed solar goal. And this success is a testament to the important role that these renewable energy projects will play in helping to reach our CLCPA goals. It stands to reason that we should build on our successes and continue to support the distributed solar industry.”

New York’s solar industry employs over 15,000 workers statewide. Right now, the state is ahead of schedule toward its 10 GW by 2030 rooftop and community solar goal. Building an additional 10 GW of distributed solar over the next decade will boost New York’s “affordability agenda” with ratepayer savings and revenue for municipalities and school districts while doubling the number of solar industry jobs.

The ASAP Act requires reforms to the utility interconnection process in order to streamline processes and lower costs for ratepayers. The legislation requires electric utilities to report and publish their actual distribution upgrade costs, enabling greater accountability and fairer cost estimation for solar developers. It also creates guardrails to protect against cost overruns, providing market clarity and reducing price volatility and surprise charges.

In terms of streamlining solar projects, the legislation directs utilities to establish a self-performance option allowing qualified solar developers to complete certain interconnection upgrades themselves—lowering costs and avoiding utility bottlenecks.

Prevailing wage requirements in the bill will ensure solar expansion creates high-quality local jobs. Additionally, is meant to support local solar supply chains, electricians, and construction workers—stimulating green job growth and attracting private-sector investment in New York’s clean energy economy.

The ASAP Act also directs New York’s utilities to expand upon their successful flexible interconnection pilot programs, an innovative approach that leverages smart grid technology to integrate more solar and energy storage capacity while avoiding cost-prohibitive traditional distribution system upgrades.

Lastly, the ASAP Act promotes equitable access by requiring at least 35% of solar program investments benefit disadvantaged and low-to-moderate-income communities.

Noah Ginsburg, Executive Director, NYSEIA, said, "At a time when clean energy is under attack at the federal level, state-level leadership has never been more important. Now is the time for New York’s legislature to double down on rooftop and community solar by passing the ASAP Act. Not only will the ASAP Act deliver billions of dollars of electricity bill savings to New York families and businesses; it will also provide revenue to rural communities and support more than 15,000 good local jobs in the solar industry." 

Michael Richardson, Co-facilitator, Third Act Upstate New York, said, "Climate scientists have issued a clarion call that we must massively fast-track the buildout of renewable energy generation on all fronts if we are to avert critical tipping points in the climate system. The ASAP Act would do much to answer that call by advancing the buildout of rooftop and community solar and streamlining the utility interconnection process. What is needed at this time when federal support for solar is being erased is dynamic state leadership to continue and expand those solar programs that have proven success."

Kate Daniel, Northeast Regional Director of Coalition for Community Solar Access, said, “We are proud to be gathering in support of the ASAP Act—the bold, necessary step New York needs to power our present and our future. By doubling the state’s distributed solar goal and cutting red tape, this legislation delivers on affordability, equity, and climate. It means lower energy bills for working families, thousands of good-paying local jobs, and a smarter, cleaner grid for everyone. We strongly urge lawmakers to pass the ASAP Act and keep New York at the forefront of clean energy leadership."  

 Vincent Albanese, New York State Laborers PAC Director, said, “The New York State Laborers staunchly support the ASAP Act, legislation that will create union jobs and shepherd the state toward a clean energy future. It is vital this legislation pass in order to safeguard the future of solar in New York State, improve interconnection, protect the environment for future generations of New Yorkers and create career-track jobs.”

Valessa Souter-Kline, Northeast regional director for the Solar Energy Industries Association, said, “The solar and storage industry is grateful for Senator Harckham’s leadership in introducing the ASAP Act. New York tops all states in community solar, and this bill will ensure the state continues to lead in creating a modern energy system that puts people first. A robust buildout of rooftop and community solar will be a win-win for New Yorkers' energy bills, grid reliability, and the environment.”