Albany -- Lieutenant Governor David Paterson, chairman of the State’s Renewable Energy Task Force, joined the other members of the Renewable Energy Task Force in creating a framework for New York to develop and promote renewable energy technologies. The second meeting of the Task Force integrated the work of subcommittees that have met over the course of the year.

The four subcommittees of the Renewable Energy Task Force are: Renewable Fuels, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Electricity Central Generation, and Renewable Electricity Distributed Generation. The members include representatives from New York’s renewable energy and alternative fuel industries, environmental and agricultural communities, academia, local government, energy policy, environmental justice, green building and industry development sectors, and various state entities.

Under the state's current Renewable Portfolio Standard, New York must meet a goal of 25 percent renewable energy generation by 2013. The Task Force is evaluating how the State will reach this goal and potentially exceed it in part by identifying and expanding potential market areas where the state can increase its use of renewable energy and alternative fuels. In addition, the Task Force is working on advancing methods to assist the Governor’s 15 x 15 initiative, which requires reducing our electricity consumption 15 percent below forecasted levels by 2015.

The Task Force addressed issue areas pivotal to advancing renewable energy technologies in New York State, such as the availability of resources, attracting more “green” energy distributors, and evaluating existing laws and regulations governing the use of renewable energy technologies in residential and nonresidential facilities.