CMC Energy Services’ Post

As we move into the final month of 2023, I must focus on a legislative proposal that is being pushed in Albany by extreme environmental advocates and downstate policymakers that threatens the ability of all New Yorkers to choose their energy source. The proposals included in the New York Home Energy Affordable Transition (NY HEAT) Act would require sweeping changes to the obligation that natural gas companies currently have to provide customers with safe and adequate service at just and reasonable rates. Specifically, the proposal directs the state’s Public Service Commission to encourage a transition away from natural gas and discontinue portions of the gas system, effectively forcing entire neighborhoods to cease natural gas use and instead convert their homes and businesses to electricity. This involuntary loss of natural gas service would force electrification and eliminate customer choice. The safety and reliability concerns of forcing customers to heat their homes with electricity should be obvious to anyone who has lived through one of our region’s extreme winter weather events. But affordability, and the bill’s failure to adequately address it, is no less concerning. The exorbitant conversion costs – estimated at $20,000 - $50,000 per household – would be borne by home and business owners, as the bill offers no provision for subsidizing them for all customers. Even the bill’s proposal to cap utility bills for low- and moderate-income households at 6% of their income, a laudable concept in principle, includes no clarity on how, or by whom, those cost overruns would be paid for. The State Senator who introduced this bill, a Manhattan Democrat, has stated that she is “not really concerned” that certain costs that flow from the legislation will be shifted to other ratepayers. Personally, I believe we should all be concerned with the NY HEAT Act’s failure to specify how these costs will impact the rates of utility customers, not to mention the potential inflationary impact on goods and services where businesses pass those costs onto consumers. Rather, the continued operation of a decarbonized natural gas system is not just consistent with the state’s goals but will indeed be necessary to achieve them in a responsible way that ensures the continued reliability, resilience and affordability of energy, particularly in our region of the state with its climate and economic challenges. Now is the time to use your voice and remind Governor Hochul that New Yorkers want safe, reliable natural gas and its weather-resistant delivery system as a part of a responsible energy transition. Send her a message, within a few brief seconds, by clicking www.betterplannobans.com. Thanks for connecting this week.

I suggest everyone living and/or doing business in upstate and western New York read this important message from the president of National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation!

💡💰 It's been a few days since the California Public Utilities Commission's decision to introduce a flat monthly "Flat Rate" charge of $24.15 for residential customers...but even before the announcement, the decision was clearly divisive. 👍 On the positive side, environmental groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Sierra Club view this as a step in the right direction to make electricity more affordable for low-income households and encourage electrification of homes and vehicles, which is crucial for meeting California's climate goals. 👎 Others aren't convinced. The solar industry, represented by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), has criticized the fixed charge, calling it a "tax" that could hinder rooftop solar and storage adoption. Some don't think the changes don't go far enough. The Sierra Club, for example, wants regulators to eliminate the fixed charge for low-income households, exempt all-electric customers, and institute higher income tiers for wealthier customers. What are your thoughts? 🤔 We'd love to hear. https://hubs.ly/Q02xD5kS0

Check this article out on how LMI households can be part of the energy transition through affordable electricity options! To learn more you can chat with Mark Kresowik https://lnkd.in/eJVpxcdN

"The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that New York is the first state in the nation to launch their Home Energy Rebates program, created by the Inflation Reduction Act. New York’s program will allow more low-and-middle income families to take advantage of efficiency and clean energy upgrades that will make their homes more comfortable while saving money on their energy bills. New York’s launch is part of a larger nationwide initiative to provide $8.8 billion in Federal funding for states, territories, and Tribes to lower energy costs and increase efficiency in American homes by making it cheaper to install cost-saving measures such as heat pumps, electrical panels, and insulation." https://lnkd.in/gQbeBFxX

"The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that New York is the first state in the nation to launch their Home Energy Rebates program, created by the Inflation Reduction Act. New York’s program will allow more low-and-middle income families to take advantage of efficiency and clean energy upgrades that will make their homes more comfortable while saving money on their energy bills. New York’s launch is part of a larger nationwide initiative to provide $8.8 billion in Federal funding for states, territories, and Tribes to lower energy costs and increase efficiency in American homes by making it cheaper to install cost-saving measures such as heat pumps, electrical panels, and insulation." https://lnkd.in/gQbeBFxX

Tax credits available to an American household under IRA - Inflation Reduction Act $ 7500 for EV $ 1000 for Home charging station $ 3200 for Energy efficiency upgrades 30% on Solar Rooftop 30% on Home storage (battery) See details in article below

Here’s what Americans think of local wind and solar development

Great article & thanks for sharing. Important fact is that in the frame of time the fourth National Infrastructure Bank was created to fund all infrastructure projects throughout America. Today, HR 4052 creates the fifth National Infrastructure Bank that again will fund all infrastructure projects without increasing the deficit or create more taxes. It’s time to do a proven process again; check it out - nibcoalition…#nationalinfrastructurebank

The sheer scale of the #InflationReductionAct — the single largest #climate and #energy investment in US history — has fixated public attention. But much of the law’s success will rest on the individual purchasing decisions made within homes across the country. 🏡 The collective actions of households are powering a historic effort to modernize the US energy system. If the right steps are taken now, homeowners will have the power to unlock their transformative potential to increase system resilience, accelerate decarbonization, and bolster economic stability — while benefitting their pocketbooks. 🔆 One year after President Biden signed the IRA into law, the United States is on the precipice of an unheralded #cleanenergy revolution that will transform the US economy and deliver meaningful benefits within US homes. 🎉 To mark the IRA’s anniversary, I put my journalism hat back on to write about what this revolution looks like for the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center. �� https://lnkd.in/gKzKq8ZN #sustainability #solarpower #homeimprovement #electrifyeverything #efficiency #solarpowers #IRA #rebates #taxcredits