ROCHESTER, N.Y. — As New York faces looming deadlines to increase renewable energy sources and lower emissions under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), concerns about cost and feasibility are prompting discussions among state lawmakers and the governor about potential changes to current mandates.
Ed Kohlmeier, a Sodus resident, has invested around $40,000 over the past 15 years to make his lifestyle more environmentally friendly. He drives an electric car, uses electric pumps for heating and cooling, and has three solar panel arrays on his roof. “Trying to do something that’s friendly to the earth, friendly to the environment,” Kohlmeier tells News10NBC.
His solar panels generate enough energy for his home during the summer months. He earns credits with the utility for the excess and those typically cover his energy costs through about November. Then, he pays NYSEG for the energy he uses during the winter months. “Actually, starting about now is when they (panels) really start producing more again because of the sun angle, the melting snow,” Kohlmeier explains…