As New York endeavors to lower household energy costs and meet growing electricity demand, it will be critical for the State to increase energy supply quickly and cost-effectively. Accelerating rooftop and community (“distributed”) solar deployment while driving down interconnection costs will advance New York’s Affordability Agenda by lowering energy costs for homes and businesses across the State.

In March 2025, Senator Pete Harckham introduced the Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power ("ASAP") Act, legislation that raises New York's distributed solar goal to 20 gigawatts by 2035, drives down costs through interconnection reforms and directs NYSERDA to develop an implementation plan to cost-effectively support rooftop and community solar deployment.

The ASAP Act doubles down on New York's most successful clean energy sector by:

1. Raising New York's distributed solar goal to 20 gigawatts by 2035

2. Lowering the cost of new community solar projects through interconnection reforms

3. Directing NYSERDA to develop a plan to cost-effectively support rooftop and community solar at a time the federal government is reducing support for clean energy

The ASAP Act will provide the following benefits to New Yorkers:

• $50B in direct utility bill savings for New York households and businesses, and $28B in indirect electric ratepayer savings by reducing wholesale energy prices for everyone.

• $3.6B in direct financial benefit to host communities, including lease revenue to rural landowners and tax revenue to local governments and school districts.

• 15,000 additional solar industry jobs across the state, including blue-collar and white-collar positions. A significant portion of these jobs will be with New York-based businesses, a unionized workforce, and/or pay prevailing wages.

• 145 million metric tons of avoided greenhouse gas emissions and improved public health outcomes by displacing fossil fuel combustion with emissions-free solar.