The state of New York will invest a historic $1 billion as part of the Sustainable Future Program to advance clean, green capital projects designed to reduce energy costs and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Following full implementation, the Sustainable Future Program will make waves as the state’s largest consolidated climate initiative in its history. The program will allocate the funding across multiple subsidiary efforts, targeting the education, energy, infrastructure, utility, transportation and housing sectors.
New York will dedicate $200 million to expand thermal energy networks across the state, supporting municipal, state and higher education initiatives. These efforts will install pipe systems linking multiple buildings together to collectively heat and cool interiors. The State University of New York (SUNY) system has several projects in the works that will directly benefit from the program, including:
- Planning $50 million to support the first phase of a thermal energy network construction project as well creating a framework to incorporate future geothermal systems.
- Using $68 million to replace fossil fuel-based systems at SUNY-Buffalo with on-site electrical systems.
- Spending $22 million to build thermal energy systems for two buildings at SUNY-Stony Brook.
Another $200 million will accelerate the state’s efforts to transition to and expand clean transportation infrastructure, targeting the widespread implementation of electric vehicles (EV). Half of the allocated funding will go toward procuring zero-emission school buses and building supporting infrastructure. The state will spend $50 million to build depot charging stations for fleets and shared charging hubs at distribution centers and ports. The remaining $50 million will offer EV charging station rebates for qualifying infrastructure built at workplaces, multifamily buildings and large public sector organizations.
Renewable energy initiatives will receive significant support through a $200 million investment. The state will award the funding to the New York Power Authority (NYPA), providing the agency with the spending power to build new renewable energy sources.
A $150 million allocation will promote the new Green Small Buildings Program. Recipients will be able to use their awards to make energy-efficient upgrades at eligible homes to streamline the transition to clean energy. In a separate but related case, the state will invest $50 million to provide low- and moderate-income residents with free home energy assessments and energy efficiency upgrades through the EmPower+ program, prioritizing heat pump installation.
The state will distribute the final $50 million outlined in the Sustainable Future Program to decarbonize buildings in the public school system. The program will target under-resourced and underserved districts to reduce their carbon footprint and enhance indoor air quality.
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