NYSERDA is offering free home-performance energy audits for New Yorkers

Are heating costs hitting you hard this winter?  Does is take an enormous amount of heat for your house to feel comfortable?  If so, it's likely that your home is poorly insulated. Lucky for you NYSERDA's Green Jobs/Green NY program is making it easier than ever to retrofit your house.  Green Jobs/Green NY is offering free home-performance energy audits through approved contractors alongside low interest loans to fund home improvements.  Improvements suggested in such audits have shown to save the home owner $1.20 for every dollar spent.

Green Jobs/Green NY is aligned with New York States goal of retrofitting a million houses throughout the state.

For more information on Green Jobs/Green NY visit http://www.nyserda.org/GreenNY/.

Beacon Power Begins Commercial Opperation in Stephentown, New York

With 8 out of 20 MW now connected to the New York State grid, Beacon Power has officially begun operation of their flywheel energy storage system in Stephentown, New York.  The system consists of carbon fiber flywheels that spin that store grid energy by spinning at Mach 2 speeds.  The stored energy is then capable of being transmitted back into the grid to buffer disturbances without burning fossil fuels. Beacon Power is connecting the remaining 12 MW in small stages and has goals of being fully operational by April of this year.  

Beacon Power received $2 million in NYSERDA funding for the establishment of the Stephentown facility.

For more information see Beacon Power's press release at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=123367&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1518882&highlight=.

President Obama visits GE's Schenectady manufacturing plant

Last week, President Barack Obama paid a visit to General Electric's steam turbine and generating plant in Schenectady, New York. After a tour of the facility, which is one of the largest steam turbine manufacturing plants in the world, President Obama praised GE for its capability to adapt to a changing marketplace, create/sustain domestic jobs and compete in a global market.

The plant is currently manufacturing components for the Reliance Power Ltd. Project in India, which will be the largest of its kind for the country. Over the past 10 years GE has more than doubled its exports, supporting more than 7,000 jobs in the Capital Region.

For more information visit:
 http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2011/01/21/obama-praises-ge-as-model-of-whats.html?ed=2011-01-21&s=article_du&ana=e_du_pub.

NYSERDA is offering $250 million for renewable energy generation

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is offering $250 million in funding for renewable energy generation projects within the state. The funding will help New York State reach its Renewable Portfolio Standard goal of obtaining 30% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2015, resulting in dramatic reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, increased energy independence and high quality jobs for New Yorkers.

Thus far the Renewable Portfolio Standard program has granted funding for a landfill biogas operation, 3 biomass facilities, 21 hydroelectric upgrades and 14 wind farms.  These 39 facilities are expected to provide New York with 4.3 million megawatt-hours of renewable energy per year.

Applications for the funding are due February 10, 2011 by 5 pm.
For more information, refer to RFP 2226 at http://www.nyserda.org/funding/2226rfp.asp.

NYSERDA offers incentives for the development of the Plug-In Electric Vehicle market

Over the past few years plug-in electric vehicles (PIEV) have undergone a fundamental change from being the subject of science projects and auto shows to driving on our nation's roadways. Niche PIEV manufacturers are no longer alone in the plug-in market, automobile giants Nissan and General Motors have added PIEV's to their car lines and virtually every other mainstream car manufacturer have PIEV prototypes that are set to be released in the coming years.

Along with an ever growing sense of environmental responsibility among our nations population, government incentives have been instrumental in funding the research, development and adoption of such vehicles. Federal incentives for PIEV R&D are currently available through the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Energy, Federal Aviation Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation and General Services Administration. The State of New York has shown a strong interest in PIEV's and is currently devoting $10 Million towards converting state owned hybrid vehicles to plug-in's. New York State is also offering incentives in alternative vehicle infrastructure, technical assistance, support and development.

For a complete list of Alternative Vehicle Incentives in New York State visit http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/laws/state_summary/NY.