Con Edison issues clean energy update on renewables initiatives
Con Edison has a new initiative that will provide information on the installations of solar panels, battery storage, electric vehicle chargers, and other technologies in its New York City and Westchester County service territories.
The quarterly Con Edison Clean Energy Update will make it easier to track deployments of customer-owned clean energy technologies as these markets develop and expand.
“The energy landscape is evolving faster than at any time in our company’s 200-year history, shifting toward cleaner, more decentralized and community-based energy solutions,” Con Edison Chairman and CEO Tim Cawley said. “The energy system of the future will put far more control in the hands of customers. This new era calls for unprecedented transparency and accessibility of information.”
The first edition of the update reports that NYC and Westchester customers own nearly 45,000 rooftop solar systems totaling 419 megawatts of capacity. Queens is the leading NYC borough for solar, with more than 14,000 systems installed. It also reported that in 2021, customers installed 7,280 solar energy systems totaling more than 70 megawatts of generating capacity.
Further, electric heat pumps and other clean heat technologies have taken off in the New York City region, according to the update. Con Edison incentivized more than 9,700 clean heat projects in 2021, a 300 percent increase over the previous year.
In addition, electric vehicle registrations are accelerating, with more than 30,000 EVs now on the road in NYC and Westchester. Con Edison’s PowerReady incentive program has supported the installation of 359 EV chargers through March 2022, including 42 DC fast chargers. Con Edison plans to install approximately 19,000 charging plugs by 2025.
“New York’s thriving clean energy economy is creating jobs that pay well, offer great long-term career prospects, and provide a sense of deeper meaning to workers wishing to play a role in the fight against climate change,” Cawley added. “The Con Edison Clean Energy Update will make it easier for our customers and other stakeholders to follow New York City’s path to the clean energy future and learn how to participate in its multitude of benefits.”
Con Edison aims to deliver 100 percent clean electricity by 2040, with power coming from a combination of large renewable generators, such as offshore wind turbines, and distributed resources embedded in the local power grid, such as solar panels owned by customers. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas, and steam to 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester County.
