For energy reliability, NYS needs both gas and renewables

Much has changed since the 2019 passage of New York’s ambitious Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Offshore wind development has been significantly delayed, increasing its costs and the reliance on existing gas-powered generators. The state’s Public Service Commission last week halted its approval process for new construction of transmission lines needed to bring offshore wind power to the region because the Trump administration refused to allow new turbines to be built offshore.

While it is important to continue to move forward on renewable energy sources to meet our needs and improve the environment, it is essential to continue to focus on reliability of the energy delivery system.

That’s what makes the recent flashing warning signs from the New York Independent System Operator, the nonprofit running the state’s electric grid, about a thinning energy reliability margin so dire. Renewable energy sources needed to achieve the state’s aggressive climate goals have not scaled up as needed to meet what the NYISO forecasts as a “dramatic” increase in demand. NYISO’s 2025 Power Trends Report says a reliance on fossil-fired generation includes potentially repowering aging plants with lower-emission generation technology as part of an all-of-the-above approach that utilizes all available energy sources.

Currently, six in 10 New Yorkers heat their homes with natural gas; switching them all over to electric heating systems requires both extraordinary infrastructure upgrades and the ability to produce sufficient power. More than half the state’s installed electric generation capacity comes from natural gas and so-called dual fuel-gas coupled with dirtier oil as a backup — with 86% of downstate generation reliant on those sources.

The trouble is that the gas supply itself is facing significant constraints. On the coldest days, utilities prioritize household heating needs, which lessens the supply available for equally essential electric generation. New proposed gas pipelines — the Constitution Pipeline upstate and the Northeast Supply Enhancement project downstate — will help ease these constraints and deserve a fair hearing as they move through state-level reviews.

Much has changed since these projects were first proposed and roundly debated. Over the last decade , necessary state permits were rejected, in part due to politics driven by idealistic theories of how New York’s energy systems should be built. The outlook for renewable generation also was rosier. But with the latest energy supply and demand data providing such a stark wake-up call, we must decide if we’re willing to jeopardize reliability.

Lapses in energy most certainly would put a damper on the economic goals set by the state, from the buildout of high-tech manufacturing megaprojects to growth in data centers necessary to position New York as a leader in artificial intelligence. The same goes for affordable housing goals, which are running up against impending all-electric building requirements. Even by abstaining from using gas for cooking and heating, all electric homes still clearly will require electrons generated by natural gas to power up for the foreseeable future.

Ensuring sufficient natural gas is available does not need to come at the expense of renewables. An all-of-the-above approach to energy that includes wind, solar, hydro, nuclear and, yes, gas where necessary, is what we need for a cleaner and reliable future as a state. The alternative, ignoring the clear needs right in front of us, will quite literally put New York on a dark path forward.

This guest essay reflects the views of Robert Catell, chairman of the Advanced Energy Research Technology Center at Stony Brook University.