PSE Healthy Energy is creating an overarching, integrated Energy Transformation Framework for New York State to help inform effective policies and pathways. The researchers behind this work are:
- Jerry Acton, MS, Science Advisory Council Member, PSE Healthy Energy
- Elena Krieger, PhD, Clean Energy Program Director, PSE Healthy Energy
- Anthony Ingraffea, PhD, PE, Senior Fellow, PSE Healthy Energy
Summary
New York has established ambitious state-wide goals for energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emission reductions, renewable energy growth, and reduced reliance on nuclear energy. The state has launched many clean energy initiatives across numerous agencies and organizations, but interrelated activities need to be managed in a time-synchronized, efficient and cost-effective manner across the state’s 62 counties to successfully achieve these state goals.
Our framework identifies yearly quantitative milestones that must be achieved to meet the state-wide goals:
- 50% renewable power and 40% emission reductions by 2030
- 80% emission reductions by 2050.
Milestones are identified for each of five sectors: transportation, residential, commercial, industrial, and electric power. Within each sector, we establish incremental targets for the most relevant parameters:
- Metric tons of CO2 to be reduced;
- Amount of fossil fuel use to be reduced by type;
- Number of CO2-emitting systems to be replaced (e.g. gasoline powered passenger vehicles);
- Number of emissions-free systems to be installed;
- Required efficiency levels;
- Additional electric power needed to support electrification of current fossil fuel use systems and industrial processes;
- Timeline for when existing fossil fuel and nuclear power plants can be de-commissioned.
Greenhouse gas impacts of upstream methane emissions from natural gas production are included in emission estimates. All quantitative energy transformation timelines are presented within the context of historic energy use and greenhouse gas emissions to highlight the need for accelerated and coordinated deployment of clean energy systems to achieve meaningful greenhouse gas emission reductions across the state.
Recent Work
Wind Energy in New York State
New York has significant potential to generate clean electricity from wind, but must rapidly scale deployment for wind to play a meaningful role in achieving 2030 renewable energy targets.
Our research brief outlines New York’s current and potential wind production, barriers to developing wind energy infrastructure, and strategies for achieving more wind.