Con Edison Sustainability Report: Confront Weather Risks & Allow Utility Solar Projects in NYS

Con Edison issued its Sustainability Report today advocating for utility ownership of renewable projects at home in New York to help the state reach its clean energy goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2040. Con Edison is already the second-largest solar producer nationally, with projects in 19 states, as well as the seventh-largest solar producer worldwide.

Chief in the company’s climate focus is addressing weather risks on its systems. Con Edison’s recent Climate Change Vulnerability Study stresses the importance of preparing company infrastructure to withstand and recover from major weather events. Con Edison will be developing an implementation plan in the next six months detailing priority actions for the next five, 10, and 20 years.

“When it comes to climate action, Con Edison envisions a clean future for the world’s most complex energy grid,” said John McAvoy, Con Edison’s chairman and CEO. “Powering the lives of 10 million people, we are committed to building tomorrow’s grid in a manner that supports renewable energy sources like solar and offshore wind, while empowering customers to make smarter energy choices.”

The company’s expanding array of energy efficiency programs have helped over a million customers, preventing seven million metric tons of carbon emissions, equal to taking more than a million cars off the road. Con Edison plans to aggressively pursue further energy-use reductions by tripling its energy efficiency programs, investing over $1.5 billion by 2025. The effort is part of the company’s “Clean Energy Commitment” outlined on the Con Edison website.

Since an estimated 30 percent of the city’s carbon production comes from cars, trucks, and other vehicles, Con Edison is taking special steps to encourage the use of more electric vehicles (EVs). The company has launched the curbside charging project for EVs, and will deliver 120 charging stations to 45 locations across the five boroughs. Installations are slated to begin later this year.

The company also is transitioning its fleet of light-duty vehicles to EVs, and is exploring opportunities and alternative technologies to reduce fossil fuel use for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

Con Edison continues to aggressively pursue options to reduce carbon emissions from natural gas infrastructure and offer customers new options that ensure safe, reliable delivery of the commodity to meet customer needs.