After four years of debate, the Build Public Renewables Act, led by the New York City Democratic Socialists of America and environmental advocates, was passed in the state of New York. The act is aimed at challenging private utility developers and encouraging publicly owned renewable power to centralize its development and ensure affordability. The New York Power Authority will be allowed to develop, own, and operate solar, wind, and other renewable energy plants, compete with private developers for state contracts, and will be required to determine if the state is on track to meet the emissions reductions under the new climate mandates every year. If they are not on track, NYPA will be allowed to build more renewable energy in place of the private sector. NYPA and other agencies must produce a biennial Renewable Energy Generation Strategic Plan, the first of which is due at the end of January 2025. Many officials claim that this act of shifting ownership from the private to public sector is one of the most important Green New Deal legislations in recent New York history. On the other hand, many executives from the private sector claim the bill undermines their business models and is unnecessary because there is no elimination of regulatory hurdles for NYPA, so the public sector isn’t given an advantage to building renewable energy plants faster. They also argue that NYPA hasn’t built a power plant in over ten years so they would need to pull experts from the private sector and because they don’t pay taxes, locations where they build projects wouldn’t receive any tax revenue. The federal Inflation Reduction Act has allowed for NYPA to access state and federal tax credits, union support, and stronger labor protections. Starting in 2024, NYPA will also receive an annual $25 million for worker-training programs in renewable energy, and employees who lost jobs in the fossil fuel industry will be prioritized. James Hanley, a fellow at the Empire Center for Public Policy, states that even though NYPA may be able to provide power at a cheaper rate, they will not be able to build enough new renewable energy plants to push private producers out and establish dominance in the market. But others claim that the opportunity for public-private partnerships within the legislation allows for NYPA to gain advantages by hiring private companies throughout the development process. Overall, the success of the new bill will depend on how the leadership team at NYPA implements its provisions.