Jaclyn A. Brilling Public Service Commission 3 Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12223

July 7, 2011

Ms. Brilling:

Alteris Renewables is the largest design-build renewable energy company in the Northeast, with more than 25 megawatts installed for over 3,000 customers over the past 30 years and more than a dozen offices across seven states. Alteris provides photovoltaic, solar thermal, and wind energy solutions for commercial, residential, education, government and institutional clients. The company has industry- leading expertise in engineering, design, project management, performance analysis, project financing and renewable energy credit programs. As a result of this and its overarching mission, Alteris, along with the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering (CNSE), stand committed to supporting the Systems Benefit Charge (SBC) from the Public Service Commission.

The benefits of the SBC include improving system-wide reliability and increasing peak-electricity reductions through end-user efficiency actions; improving energy efficiency and access to energy options for under-served customers; reducing the environmental impacts of energy production and use; and facilitating competition in electricity markets to benefit end-users. These goals are equally important to our organization and our customers.

CNSE, in partnership with SEMATECH and the U.S. Department of Energy, and over 80 industrial partners from around the globe (including Alteris Renewables) have established an industry-led consortium—the U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC) based in New York, and focused on thin film Copper Indium Gallium Selenium (CIGS) technology—to catalyze U.S. PV manufacturing industry growth, accelerate commercialization of next generation photovoltaic (PV) technologies and products, significantly grow the U.S. share of the PV market, create new U.S. jobs, retain U.S. leadership in photovoltaic R&D, and restore U.S. leadership in PV manufacturing.

With the support of its partners and the Systems Benefit Charge, The PVMC program will transform the infrastructure and capabilities of the consortium in New York from its current state into an even more innovative ecosystem for commercializing disruptive solar technologies. The proposed project is likely to enhance innovation, expand commercialization, enable faster reduction in PV cost (to $1.00/Watt), accelerate deployment, attract additional companies to New York, create more high-paying jobs, and

120 Broadway | Albany, NY 12204 | t: 518.512.5154 | f: 518.514.1175 | www.alterisinc.com

increase economic development opportunities. We look forward to the PSC’s continuation of the Systems Benefit Charge and its support of the New York-led Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium.

Sincerely,

Thom Besch Director of Government Procurement Alteris Renewables H: 518-512-5154 C: 518-966-2234 [email protected]

120 Broadway | Albany, NY 12204 | t: 518.512.5154 | f: 518.514.1175 | www.alterisinc.com