More than 300 communities across the state have earned designation as a “Clean Energy Community,” completing more than 1,700 total “high-impact,” clean-energy actions. The label recognizes community leadership in reducing energy use, cutting costs, and driving clean energy, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). More than 570 communities are […]
More than 300 communities across the state have earned designation as a “Clean Energy Community,” completing more than 1,700 total “high-impact,” clean-energy actions.
The label recognizes community leadership in reducing energy use, cutting costs, and driving clean energy, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
More than 570 communities are participating in the Clean Energy Communities initiative and have completed at least one high-impact action, the authority announced on May 26.
Launched by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in August 2016, the $16 million Clean Energy Communities initiative, which NYSERDA administers, supports local governments across the state by providing grants to eligible municipalities to implement energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable-development projects in their communities.
Overall, more than 1,700 high-impact, clean-energy actions were completed by communities representing more than 91 percent of the state’s population in 61 counties and all 10 Economic Development Council regions.
Under the Clean Energy Communities program, cities, counties, towns, and villages that are designated as Clean Energy Communities were eligible to apply for funding of up to $250,000 to finance additional clean energy projects. Areas with fewer than 40,000 residents were eligible to apply for up to $100,000 in funding.
Grants, which have historically been provided through the clean-energy fund and the regional greenhouse-gas initiative, are “fully exhausted at this time.”
NYSERDA said it expects to release a new update to the Clean Energy Communities program in the coming months to provide communities new opportunities for grants and recognition while “driving the next level of impact.”
Clean-energy projects
Statewide, clean-energy projects that communities have completed include installation of nearly 1,000 electric-vehicle charging ports.
In addition, 100 cities, towns, and villages across New York have converted about 290,000 streetlights to light-emitting diode (LED) lighting.
At the same time, more than 630 electric vehicles deployed as part of clean municipal fleets, 930 code officers and other municipal officials completed energy-code-enforcement training, and 342 communities adopted the New York State Unified Solar Permit.