For many low-income customers and residents of Disadvantaged Communities, gaining access to local renewable sources of energy can often feel like swimming against a current. Even when they do, the costs involved could be prohibitive.
Expanding Access to Renewable Energy for All
Two nascent programs aim to expand the footprint for renewables, helping low-income customers including those enrolled in Con Edison's Energy Affordability Program (EAP) participate in the clean energy transition. Con Edison is a party to each of these initiatives the Statewide Solar for All and the Renewable Energy Access and Community Help (REACH) programs.
"Until now, it's always been the customer's choice to, say, install a solar panel or subscribe to a community solar program," said Raanan Korinow, a project manager in Con Edison's Customer Energy Solutions department. "We call those opt-in programs customers sign up for these projects and get credits on their electric bills."
"Participating in clean energy programs has often been a barrier for a lot of reasons you have to be educated (about them) and know they exist, and often times, these programs are targeting people with means in order to reduce financing risks and costs. That's resulted in disproportionately lower participation in clean energy from low-income customers."
Comparing Solar for All and REACH
While the shared goal for both Solar for All and REACH is to provide access to clean, renewable, and affordable energy to low-income customers, there are some key differences between the programs.
How Solar for All Delivers Clean Energy Credits
The Solar for All Program is a statewide program adopted by the New York Public Service Commission and will be administered by investor-owned utilities, such as Con Edison, which will serve customers enrolled in its EAP program. It will provide additional bill credits to customers who reside in Disadvantaged Communities within Con Edison's service territory. These credits will come from a portion of revenue generated from new solar and storage projects, and customers will have them automatically applied to their bills. Credits will be divided evenly between all eligible participants. By guaranteeing payments to solar and storage developers, Con Edison is reducing both the costs of financing clean energy projects and meeting its clean energy goals.
Catherine Crisp, a section manager in Customer Energy Solutions, said there has been enthusiasm from Con Edison's external partners, including developers, about participating in Solar for All, adding, "There is an interest and appetite for this type of program."
What to Expect from the REACH Program
REACH is being implemented by utilities in coordination with the New York Power Authority (NYPA). REACH will be financed through renewable energy projects owned, operated, or contracted by NYPA, both small (less than 5 megawatts) and large. For small projects, a share of the compensation will be allocated to utilities to be distributed as bill credits to EAP customers residing in Disadvantaged Communities. Additionally, a portion of the revenues from large projects will flow from NYPA to its partner utilities, which include Con Edison, based on the proportion of EAP customers living in Disadvantaged Communities within each utility's service territory. Those funds will then be distributed to participating customers in the form of bill credits.
Creating a More Equitable Clean Energy Future
What is clear about the objectives of Solar for All and REACH which each also align with New York state's ambitious climate mandates is that there is a recognized need for ensuring more equitable access to reliable and affordable clean energy. The hope is these programs can act as a pathway to help deliver a clean energy transition for all (as well as aligning with Con Edison's Clean Energy Commitment).
"We as a company are focused on the clean energy transition and providing opportunities to increase the deployment of renewable energy resources," Crisp said. "But also, to make sure that as we continue with the clean energy transition, that opportunities are available to everyone in our service territory, not just a certain set of folks. These programs are really important in doing that and helping us continue to move forward with our affordability goals and access to clean energy."
