A Market-Driven Approach to Clean Energy: Why New York Businesses Support This Policy Agenda
By any measure, energy is the lifeblood of business and the foundation of our economy. It powers the factories, heats the buildings, drives logistics, and increasingly determines the cost of doing business in New York. And yet, New York’s energy decisions have continuously moved toward an all-electric, carbon-free grid with little regard for cost, feasibility or impact on companies and jobs. The fact is, our state’s business community, which relies on a stable energy infrastructure and predictable costs, has borne the brunt of these policy whiplashes.
This approach could have real consequences, with businesses and consumers are paying more for electricity while jobs of skilled energy workers are put in jeopardy. And the power grid is under increasing strain. The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), the not-for-profit entity responsible for managing the state’s bulk electricity grid, recently issued a sobering assessment in its 2025 Power Trends report. It warns that renewable energy sources are not coming online fast enough to meet reliability needs—and that every option should be on the table, including repowering existing fossil fuel plants, to avoid blackouts and escalating costs.
Now is the moment to rethink our approach. As organizations representing businesses small and large across New York, we are deeply invested in the state’s economic future. Our members are the backbones of their communities by providing jobs and anchoring local economies. But they also depend on access to affordable, reliable energy. And right now, there is tremendous uncertainty.
There is a path forward that supports economic growth while supporting the state’s emissions reduction targets. A new package of energy bills introduced by Senator Kevin Parker, Senator Sean Ryan, and Assemblyman William Conrad offers a rare and much-needed course correction – one that prioritizes environmental progress without sacrificing reliability or affordability.
Taken together, these pieces of legislation mark a shift in the way we look at New York’s energy future. Instead of abandoning traditional infrastructure—it builds on it. It doesn’t undermine skilled workers—it uplifts them. And most importantly, it doesn’t pit climate goals against economic stability—it aligns them.
One bill, sponsored by Senator Ryan and Assemblyman Conrad, proposes large-scale investment in insulation and weatherization for homes and buildings. From a business perspective, this is a no-brainer. It will immediately create good-paying union jobs in construction and retrofitting—especially in underserved areas—and significantly reduce energy demand and emissions. Lower energy bills mean more money in consumers’ pockets and more predictability for businesses navigating operating costs.
Additionally, Senator Parker’s package of four bills brings much-needed realism to our energy transition. His proposals would protect existing jobs in the natural gas sector while growing the clean energy workforce through hybrid heating systems, renewable natural gas, clean hydrogen technology, and carbon capture projects.
For companies operating in or investing in New York, this package of bills signals stability and foresight. It opens the door to innovation and investment in emerging technologies while reducing emissions and ensuring that we don’t destabilize businesses, the workforce, or energy supply in the process.
Importantly, this legislative approach does not reject renewables—it strengthens them. It accelerates adoption where it makes sense and complements them with solutions that can be deployed now and without disruption.
The current path—an aggressive push toward full electrification and the rapid abandonment of traditional energy sources—has created instability. Businesses are facing higher energy costs, growing concerns about grid reliability, and workforce disruptions across critical sectors. Simply put, this approach is out of sync with what New Yorkers want and need.
Now, Albany has an opportunity to adopt a more practical path – one that doesn’t force a choice between economic growth and emissions reduction. We need a forward-thinking strategy that aligns clean energy progress with economic and operational stability, and these legislative proposals accomplishes this goal. They don’t sacrifice job loss, skyrocketing costs, or operational uncertainty for decarbonization. Instead, they offer a framework that prioritizes affordability, reliability, and innovation—values that every business leader understands.
Matt Cohen, President of the Long Island Association
Craig Turner, Interim Executive Director of the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce
