Electrification in New York
Photo: Tayssir Kadamany/Pexels
New York State’s Climate Leadership plan calls for substituting fossil fuels like oil, propane, and gas with renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal. Newly constructed buildings are expected to be all-electric starting in 2026. Can the grid handle it? Yes!
An NYISO Reliability Study on peak usage in Summer 2022, “New York’s electric grid has a generating capacity of about 41,000 megawatts and experiences a peak electric demand of 31,000 megawatts, which means we currently have a surplus of 10,000 megawatts of power. Within this 10,000-megawatt surplus, the state maintains 6,000 megawatts in a reserve margin , about 20 percent over the peak demand. This leaves a surplus of 4,000 megawatts on top of the peak demand and reserve margin.
The Upstate NY grid is also one of the cleanest in the country thanks to hydropower, solar, and wind. However, a fair amount of electricity, about 45%, is generated by natural gas-fired power plants.
The transition to electrification and a move away from fossil fuels will take multiple phases:
The first step is to understand how we’re currently using electricity and then to reduce the energy we use. Getting a home energy assessment will help you understand the most impactful and cost-effective measures to take. Generally, these include attic insulation and air sealing – not only do you save energy and money, but you’ll also make your home much more comfortable.
The next step is to move toward all electric appliances, heating equipment, and hot water heaters. Heat pump technology is extremely efficient. It moves heat from the ground or air to condition your living space with either heat or air conditioning. It is powered by electricity but is so efficient that the costs to use this technology are much less expensive than using oil or propane. The cost savings is not as great if you currently heat with natural gas.
An additional step is to go solar! Rooftop solar panels can allow you to generate electricity to power your home. Thanks to net metering, you can build up credits with the utilities you use for months when your system does not generate as much power. Tenants and homeowners can also access community solar and benefit from reduced electricity costs.
Reducing electricity usage through tighter, more efficient homes and using more efficient, non-fossil fuel heating systems will enable New York to meet its climate targets with a resilient energy grid that will meet our needs.