According to Harris, while the benefits of building decarbonization exist, the upfront costs are prohibitive for many consumers.
“Buildings are extraordinarily complex, particularly here in New York State,” she said. “Ultimately, when we look at the level of investment that is occurring between NYSERDA and the utilities, it’s very significant.”
Harris said transportation is the second-highest source of emissions.
“We need durable investments that consumers can count on, and the fact that we have been able to provide a stable program that has brought more than 300,000 electric vehicles on the road across our state is relevant here to help to build the market demand,” Harris explained.
Harris touched upon grid resilience, the ability of the electric power grid to withstand and quickly recover from disruptions such as storms, heat waves, cyberattacks, equipment failures or other emergencies.
“Grid resilience, I would say, is one of the defining challenges of where we sit today,” Harris said.
NYSERDA completed a state energy plan at the end of last year. The agency projects electricity demand will grow by over 20%, with peak demand also increasing by over 20%.
About three-quarters of that projected growth is not expected to be driven by state policies.
“This is a planning issue unlike anything we’ve encountered in our generation,” she added. “Historically, we’ve planned for relatively flat electricity demand, but the prospect of substantial load growth presents both a unique opportunity and a significant challenge.”