In New York, a bill is advancing that would create a self-directed program for large energy users. The New York State Clean Energy Tech Production Program, which would be established under S. 7840, would allow large energy consumers to use the money they would have spent on their existing and future clean energy surcharges (i.e., system benefits charge, RPS charge, energy efficiency portfolio charge) as dedicated funds for energy efficiency, advanced energy management, renewables deployment and storage, through the use of an energy savings account.

S. 7840 allows the PSC, in collaboration with utilities and large energy users, to develop, oversee and issue guidelines establishing the specific rules and principles for the self-directed program. After seven years, any unused funds in the energy savings account would be made available for the original purposes of the surcharge. The program applies to customers with a 36-month average demand of 2 MW or more, or customers with an aggregated 36-month average demand of 4 MW or greater, as long as one or more of the accounts aggregated by the customer has a minimum 36-month average demand of 1 MW).