NY Clean-Energy Industry to See Boost from Federal Infrastructure Act

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The Senate-approved Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has $15 billion allocated for the electric vehicle industry, and is expected to add momentum to New York's growing commitment to renewables.

The New York Climate Act outlines that the state must reach 100% zero-emission energy by 2040.

Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY), said with ambitious climate goals, the state is also seeing healthy momentum in the solar-energy movement.

"And we hope that it continues, because we still have a long way to go," Reynolds asserted. "We still get the majority of our energy from fossil fuels, and if we want that to be more and more renewable, we have to get things built."

Reynolds noted more than 1,000 wind turbines have been installed across New York, and the state has signed more than 90 contracts with wind and solar companies. She hopes the Infrastructure Act funds will be used to prioritize transit that helps to reduce airborne emissions, such as electric vehicles and high-speed rail.

ACE NY is a 100-member organization that includes wind- and solar-power groups, electric vehicle-charging companies and others. Looking to the future, Reynolds hopes some equipment and supply chain for clean-energy vehicles can be based in-state to boost the local economy.

"My dream would be that ACE starts to get members that manufacture wind turbines or solar panels, or electric buses in New York State," Reynolds outlined. "And we can help create not just the construction jobs that we're creating right now, on the ground, but also some manufacturing jobs."

She added ACE NY expects to have about 20 clean-energy projects under construction around the state this year.

At the same time, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report published this week warned once again greenhouse gases are responsible for global warming, and suggested lowering carbon emissions to limit the worst impacts.