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Policy and Legislative Priorities

INDUSTRY LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES

  • Changes to drilling regulations for closed-loop geothermal boreholes deeper than 500 feet
  • Established tax credit for purchase and installation of geothermal energy systems
  • Support Local Law 97 to reduce carbon emissions in NYC
  • Testimony in rate payer cases to advance GHP.

POLICY PRIORITIES

Below is an overview of the initiatives and bills that NY-GEO supports in advancing our mission to
MAKE GEOTHERMAL ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

NON PIPELINE ALTERNATIVES 20-G-0131

Please CLICK HERE to review NY-GEO submitted comments to the DPS on September 26, 2024.

DPS 100-foot rule Straw Proposal

Please CLICK HERE to review NY-GEO submitted comments.

2024 DRAFT BUILDING CODE RELEASED

Included in the Notice of Rule Development issued on July 25, 2024

10.11.24 CLICK HERE to review organizations and elected officials support the following electrification and energy efficiency provisions being included in the 2024 Draft Building Code released at the July
26, 2024 council meeting and included in the Notice of Rule Development issued on July 25,
2024:

CLICK HERE to review previous NY-GEO submitted comments.

NY HEAT ACT (S2016A/A4592A)
Cleaner Heat - Lower Bills

The NY Heat Act will bring New Yorkers the freedom to enjoy the safest, cleanest temperature control the 21st century has to offer. From ground source heat pumps that end the need for asthma-causing fossil fuels to cutting-edge thermal networks that keep whole neighborhoods cozy through the winter, ordinary New Yorkers will no longer be forced by utility shareholders to burn the kinds of expensive and volatile fuels that threaten our health, wallets, and future.

INCREASE GEOTHERMAL TAX CREDIT (S8106/A8588)

Heating and cooling our New York State buildings using our current methods account for about 34% of our greenhouse gases. To transition to a carbon-free form of heating and cooling we need to encourage building owners to replace fossil fuel geothermal technology.  To support this transition Bills S8106 and A8588 will increase the allowed tax credit from $5,000 to $10,000 and expedite the adoption of geothermal technology to help more building owners manage this transition.  Importantly, these bills support taxpayers who meet the definition of low-to-moderate income or reside in a disadvantaged community, the excess shall be treated as an overpayment of tax to be credited or refunded.

NYSERDA FUEL SWITCHING GRANT PROGRAM
(S8504/A8595)

The New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO) supports this legislation that would authorize the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to administer a program that provides grants, loans, and other services for costs related to fuel-switching, via clean energy measures, energy-efficiency measures, resiliency measures, and more. Such a program would enable residents stuck with expensive propane or fuel-oil heating systems to upgrade to energy efficient heat pumps, save money on energy bills, and improve home comfort and reliability.

NYGEO Memo of Support S8504 A8595

RELATES to the GREEN JOBS-GREEN NEW YORK PROGRAM and on BILL RECOVERY LOAN AGREEMENT
(S9744 / PARKER)

The New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO) supports this legislation that would authorize the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to enhance the Green Jobs-Green New York (GJGNY) program by:

Increase the loan amount from $25,000 to $50,000

NY-GEO Memo of Support S9744

NYSERDA GREEN JOBS GREEN NY

NY-GEO suggests changing the NYSERDA GJGNY loan program to make it more helpful and accessible to customers and contractors:

  1. The current maximum loan amount of $25k is too low. We want to match neighboring states Massachusetts, MassSave Clean Heat loan and Connecticut, CT Smart-e loan who have a maximum loan amount of $50k.
  2. Currently, many geothermal installers do not recommend the GJGNY loan product to their customers, and if they do, their customers often end up with two loans (a public loan and a private sector loan), which adds cost and inconvenience.
  3. We recommend that NYSERDA change its GJGNY loan disbursement policy to provide installment payments to customers/contractors during a geothermal heat pump installation.

NEW EFFICIENCY: NEW YORK (NENY)

CASE 18-M-0084 and 14-M-0094

The New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO) submits feedback to the Public Service Commission regarding case 18-M-0084; In the Matter of a Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Initiative and 14-M-0094; Proceeding on Motion of the Commission to Consider a Clean Energy Fund. This feedback is from a series of NY-GEO member discussions based on PSC questions, a review of utility working group conference summaries, and previous NENY-related historical documents. Our comments relate to the Non-LMI Income questions.

2024 05 15 NY-GEO NENY response

UTILITY THERMAL ENERGY NETWORK and JOBS ACT (UTENJA)

CASE 22-M-0429

In general, NY-GEO is supportive of Staff’s work to date and would like to submit the comments below to reinforce, question or add to the current discussion. A key issue for NY-GEO is that the definition of “networks” includes more than a “district concept” where the thermal resource is shared via a single conduit (i.e. pipe). Individual boreholes for each building in a neighborhood, community, geographically designed system, etc. should also be considered a network if ownership is a utility, thermal network business, campus, etc.

NY-GEO UTENS comment letter to PSC 042624 (2)

Building Codes Council

Notice of Rule in Development: Part 1229 and Part 1240 of Title 19

The New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NY-GEO) appreciates the opportunity to comment on rules currently in development that would amend Part 1229 and Part 1240 of Title 19 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. NY-GEO members include many independently owned small businesses, comprised of geothermal heat pump (GHP)installers, manufacturers, distributors, drillers, consultants and industry stakeholders from across NY State serving urban, suburban and rural areas. 

These rules would establish requirements for the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Uniform Code) and State Energy Conservation Construction Code (Energy Code). Specifically, we would like consideration given toward two aspects of requirements which foster the accelerated implementation of prohibiting the installation of fossil-fuel equipment and building systems in new buildings, including any future repair, alteration, addition, relocation, or change of occupancy or use of such new buildings, and any building for which a substantially complete building permit application is submitted after December 31, 2028.

NY-GEO Codes Council Comments

Bill Nowak, NY-GEO BOD Member Comments

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