April 25, 2019 — Reductions Prevent CO2 Emissions Equal to Burning 85,000 Pounds of Coal

NEW YORK – The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) today announced the expansion of its participation in a program to reduce City government’s energy consumption, cut CO2 emissions, and safeguard the local electric grid. Twenty-eight City government agencies and cultural institutions will slash energy use across 468 facilities this summer when electricity demand spikes. Energy reductions are expected to top 110 megawatts, preventing CO2 emissions equal to burning 85,000 pounds of coal. The program, called Demand Response, is a partnership with utility providers. During summer heat waves, an energy provider may call on the City to reduce consumption to help stave off brownouts and blackouts. The move also helps prevent activating additional high-polluting power plants to meet surging energy demand. This summer there will be 26 new public facilities participating in the program. The City’s involvement in Demand Response is part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s OneNYC 2050: Building a Strong and Fair NYC plan, a framework that includes new steps to cut carbon emissions from buildings across New York City. 

“This summer when the heat goes up, the City’s energy use will go down,” said Lisette Camilo, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services. “By powering down we can cut CO2 emissions and avoid activating dirtier fossil fuel power plants. Taking climate change seriously means taking action and leading by example.” 

“No one in New York City should have to worry about losing power on hot summer days, and no one’s health should suffer because of dirty, polluting power plants in their backyard,” said Mark Chambers, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “Reducing unnecessary energy use is the first step to closing fossil fuel power plants and reclaiming a clean, healthy, and safe future for all New Yorkers.” 

The new commitments announced today will reduce energy consumption by another 13 megawatts over last summer’s participation in the program. Newly participating facilities include The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the David H. Koch Theater. These facilities join iconic buildings like Carnegie Hall and the Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library in participating in the program.

During times of peak electricity demand or an emergency, participating buildings reduce energy consumption to decrease the strain on New York City’s electricity grid. Demand Response contributes to maintaining the reliability of New York’s power infrastructure, avoiding brownouts or blackouts caused by extreme weather or supply disruptions. Slashing energy consumption also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by limiting the use of the most expensive and often dirtiest power plants, which are only fired up during periods of peak demand.

Enrolled facilities shed electricity load by turning off discretionary equipment and lighting, raising space temperatures, or running back-up generators when the grid is at risk for failure, usually during the hottest days of the year.

The Demand Response program has seen steady growth since the City began its involvement in 2014, more than doubling the number of participating City agencies and tripling the number of participating facilities. The Demand Response program is a partnership between the City of New York, the New York State Independent System Operator, and Con Edison.

The City’s participation in the Demand Response program is part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s vision to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% over 2005 levels by 2050. Guided by the mayor’s Green New Deal, outlined in the City’s OneNYC 2050: Building a Strong and Fair NYC plan, the City will require enhanced energy efficiency in public and private buildings, power 100% of City operations with clean electricity sources, and pursue more sustainable options when purchasing goods and services for City government.