Purpose

To assess the extent of implementation, as of January 10, 2013, of the 57 recommendations included in our series of 15 audits conducted in 2008. These audits assessed compliance with Executive Order 111 requirements for State agencies and public authorities to purchase increasing amounts of energy from renewable sources.

Background

Executive Order 111 (Order) was a broad initiative that directed State agencies and certain public authorities to be more energy efficient and environmentally proactive. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) was designated as the lead agency responsible for coordinating implementation and assisting other State agencies to fulfill their responsibilities. Section IV of the Order required that, by 2005, each covered agency seek to purchase enough energy from renewable technologies to meet 10 percent of its electrical needs. This target percentage increased to 20 percent by 2010.

Key Findings

• Each of the 15 State entities made progress in correcting the problems we originally identified, but more improvement could have occurred. Of 57 recommendations included in our original reports, 34 were fully implemented, 11 were partially implemented, and 12 were not implemented at all. Only six entities implemented every recommendation.
• Ultimately, only about half of the entities met the Order's goal of increasing renewable energy purchases to 20 percent of usage by 2010. Previously, only about one quarter of them had met the 2005 interim goal of 10 percent.
• The eight entities that met the 2010 goal included two that our initial audits had labeled as being "at-risk" of not succeeding. Renewable energy purchases ranged from 20 percent at the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to a high of 88 percent by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.
• Of the seven entities that did not meet the goal, four showed performance declines through 2010 rather than improvements. Final results ranged from lows of zero at the Rochester- Genesee Regional Transportation Authority and only 1/10th of one percent at the Department of Transportation, to highs of over 19 percent at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and 18 percent at the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
• Although the Order has now been replaced with Executive Order 88 and NYSERDA is no longer directly responsible for implementation, our follow up observation that better facilitation, communication and reporting could have improved compliance with Executive Order 111 should be applied going forward with the implementation of Executive Order 88.

Other Related Audit/Report of Interest

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority: Compliance with Executive Order 111: Requirements to Purchase Power from Renewable Sources (2008-S-74)