Hochul Signs Tax Credits Boosting NY Solar, Wind to Hit 2030 Goals

ALBANY, N.Y. — Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill Thursday providing enhanced tax credits for solar and wind energy projects across New York, targeting the state's mandate for 70% renewable electricity by 2030. The legislation, part of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) framework, offers up to $1.5 billion in incentives over five years to developers building large-scale farms in rural areas like the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier, as well as rooftop installations in urban centers including New York City and Buffalo. Supporters hail it as a jobs engine, projecting 5,000 construction positions and long-term operations roles in upstate communities hit hard by factory closures.

The bill builds on New York's clean energy momentum: Since 2021, 31 large-scale solar and wind projects totaling 4.2 gigawatts have been permitted, enough to power 1.5 million homes from Long Island to the Adirondacks. Hochul's administration redirected $360 million in surplus from the NY-Sun distributed solar program to cut energy efficiency costs by 24% through 2030, delivering $151 million in 2026 bill savings via the Zero-Emission Credits program for nuclear plants. Additional measures include a $50 million EmPower+ infusion for 10,000 low-income households and sales tax exemptions for EV charging stations statewide.

Yet the signing occurs amid Hochul's broader energy pivot. In her 2026 State of the State, she proposed a Nuclear Reliability Backbone for 4 gigawatts of new advanced nuclear alongside the New York Power Authority's 1-gigawatt project, forming an 8.4-gigawatt zero-emission grid backbone. Environmental groups and Assembly Democrats decry it as softening the CLCPA, with critics like the Environmental Defense Fund accusing Hochul of using inflated cost fears from inflation and federal tariffs to justify rollbacks. The Assembly countered with $500 energy rebate checks instead.