plaNYC Energy Initiatives

On Earth Day, 2007, Mayor Bloomberg released plaNYC, a sustainability plan for the City’s future. The plan is designed to lower our collective carbon footprint while also compensating for population growth and improving the city as a whole. Here we address its fourteen-point plan for energy and analyze its progress thus far.


Details This board would fulfill the need for more comprehensive and aggressive planning for supply and initiatives.
Goal for 2009 Establish the Board
Goal status Not yet achieved (state or federal inaction)


Details A proposal of an amendment to the City Charter requiring 10% of the City’s annual energy bill for energy-saving investment funding.
Goal for 2009 Begin investing approximately $80 million a year into improving efficiency of City Buildings.
Goal status Achieved


Details “Greening the code” will be the focus of the next three-year revision cycle, checking energy efficiency strategies.
Goal for 2009 Complete and adopt first round of code changes.
Goal status Mostly achieved.


Details A new authority will organize and coordinate all of NYC’s energy efficiency programs, including NYPA, NYSERDA, and ConEdison.
Goal for 2009 Create a new authority responsible for the implementation of NYC energy conservation and efficiency programs.
Goal status Reconsidered (state or federal inaction)


Details The City will incent behavior to encourage early adoption and eventually mandate compliance by 2015, as will they challenge the city’s leading non-profit and commercial building owners to cut energy use by 30% in 10 years.
Goal for 2009 Pass necessary local laws, building codes, and energy codes.
Goal status Acheived.


Details Peak Load Management programs will help manage electrical power usage, using smart meters, and allowing people to see the current amount of energy they’re using, and thus money they’re spending, keeping them aware of how much they might be wasting.
Goal for 2009
    1. Ensure Con Edison begins deployment of advanced meters with plan for greater deployment.
    2. Establish appropriate rate
Goal status
  1. Not yet achieved (state or federal inaction)
  2. Not yet achieved (state or federal inaction)


Details Make people aware of the cost-saving programs and perks of being energy-conscious
Goal for 2009 Launch energy awareness campaign; set up training, certification, and monitoring programs
Goal status Achieved


Details New and old power plants will be built/repowered. In the case of the old, new generators will be added to the plants, and new plants will be built in new sites in and out of the City.
Goal for 2009 Establish NYC Energy Planning Board
Goal status Not yet achieved (state or federal inaction)


Details Clean DG uses clean fuels, like natural gas, and is much more energy efficient than what was used previously. The City will be increasing its use with the help of ConEdison.
Goal for 2009
  1. Study the capacity to increase interconnection limits in each network and work with manufacturers on new circuit breaker technologies
  2. Review completed Con Edison Hudson Yards District Energy Study and move forward on district energy projects based on report findings Achieved
Goal status
  1. Reconsidered
  2. Achieved


Details Action must be taken to expand the amount of natural gas coming into the city.
Goal for 2009 Support appropriate natural gas expansion proposals
Goal status Achieved


Details Currently, New York City is a leader in usage of alternative energy sources, and has also increased wind power plants of late. Solar power is also potentially beneficial, but use of it must be expanded in the City, and its costliness must be dealt with. New York will also work to maximize the amount of energy that can be gained from biomass energy via solid waste, and study natural gas being used to evaluate the potential of expansion of use.
Goal for 2009 1.Launch the solar incentive
2.Complete study
3. Begin construction of the city’s first carbon-neutral building
4. Select solar developer to install solar panels; enter into long-term agreement
5. Increase/remove solar cap in New York City and increase net-metering opportunities statewide
6. Begin designing at least one pilot alternative waste technology facility
7. End methane emissions from wastewater treatment plants
8. Complete initial study; begin to follow up on recommendations
    Goal status 1. Achieved
    2. Achieved
    3. Not yet achieved (City Budget)
    4. Not yet achieved (City Budget)
    5. Achieved
    6. Mostly achieved (state or federal inaction)
    7. Not yet achieved
    8. Achieved


      Details Western Queens’s power grid needs extensive upgrades.
      Goal for 2009 Begin implementation of City recommendations and all other appropriate recommendations to improve grid reliability
      Goal status Achieved


      Details New methods of repairing the power grids will be utilized- through joint bidding, which allows all work to be done under one contract, or through policy changes on utilities and new models.
      Goal for 2009
      1. Approve joint bidding citywide, improve coordination, and begin work on pilot multi-utility tunnel with location identified by formalized team of City, State, and utility representatives
      2. Initiate a working group with relevant parties
      Goal status
      1. Not yet achieved
      2. NA


      Details More details
      Goal for 2009 Continue to support Con Edison’s 3G initiative
      Goal status Achieved

      Of the 14 missives and 24 sub-categories for the year, 11 have been achieved, 8 have not been achieved, and the rest have been reconsidered or mostly achieved as of December 2009. All in all, it is not a bad turnout for an environmental plan, and any improvement is certainly significant and moves us closer to our goals for PlaNYC.

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