New York creates a State Energy Policy Institute

The State University of New York at Stony Brook has been named to lead a multi-university New York Energy Policy Institute (NYEPI).  Working in partnership with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Syracuse University, the consortium will coordinate the work of leading energy research centers and experts and serve as a resource for the State’s policymakers.  The consortium will coordinate efforts with energy experts at partner institutions from across the State, including City University of New York (CUNY), Clarkson University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Hudson Valley Community College, Morrisville State College, The Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), the University at Albany, University at Binghamton, University at Buffalo and the University of Rochester.  Additional institutions and participants are anticipated.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which will oversee the NYEPI’s operations, has allocated up to $200,000 per year for up to three years to be matched by the consortium members. NYEPI will work with NYSERDA and other State agencies to conduct studies, produce policy analysis, and provide guidance on energy issues impacting now and in the future. The NYEPI will also advance New York's ‘45 by 15’ initiative, one of the nation’s most aggressive energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives which is estimated could create 50,000 new jobs throughout the State.

Earlier today, Governor Paterson accepted the final report from the Task Force on Diversifying the New York State Economy through Industry-Higher Education Partnerships. The NYEPI follows a number of the recommendations from the Task Force, including critical mass in strategic areas that invest in fields where New York can be a global leader in clean energy.

The NYEPI will assist and complement existing State energy policy research, including programs at NYSERDA, New York State Department of Public Service, Long Island Power Authority, New York Power Authority, and New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR), among others.