NY A01214

Establishes a fuel cell incentive program requiring the Public Service Commission to modify existing programs by January 1, 2016 to encourage qualified fuel cell electric generating systems using solid oxide, molten carbonate, proton exchange membrane, or phosphoric acid fuel cells

Requires minimum annual expenditures of $50 million from calendar year 2016 through 2026 administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for electric distribution companies

Mandates program design considerations including geographic diversity, multiple customer classes, competitive procurements, production/capacity incentives, and minimization of peak load in constrained areas

Requires the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to implement a separate fuel cell incentive program with minimum annual expenditures of $15 million from 2016 through 2026 in its service territory

Mandates annual reports documenting program achievements and effectiveness, with economic benefits to New York and transmission/distribution system cost avoidance as key evaluation criteria