The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) could be the most important state agency you’ve never heard of, and help fund.
“NYSERDA’s earliest efforts focused solely on research and development with the goal of reducing the State’s petroleum consumption. Today, NYSERDA’s aim is to help New York meet its energy goals: reducing energy consumption, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, and protecting the environment,” according to the website.
NYSERDA is in good company with regard to its first goal – reduced energy consumption – as newly-confirmed US Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz focused his first official speech on the benefits of increasing energy efficiency.
NYSERDA faces an ambitious agenda, seeking technology to improve New York’s energy, economic and environmental wellbeing, a common crusade world over when dealing with energy. Often referred to as the “holy trinity,” energy must be as safe/sustainable, affordable and reliable as possible.
These goals were recently echoed by National Grid’s Ken Daily, when Breaking Energy spoke with him about New York Energy Week involvement. NYSERDA will also be participating in the first annual Fashion Week-style event series devoted to energy, which kicks off the week of June 24th.
NYSERDA devotes its resources to green job growth, renewable energy proliferation (through initiatives like NY-Sun), innovative business development and even a “Gas Station Back-Up Power Program,” designed to help New Yorkers obtain fuel during power outages like the massive failures that cascaded in Hurricane Sandy’s wake.
Saving energy in homes and commercial buildings, which almost always equates to saving money, is another NYSERDA focus area. While currently working primarily with existing technology, the Authority increasingly embraces optimization software solutions that run energy-guzzling office space more efficiently, Harris Schaer, who handles Commercial/Industrial Energy Efficiency at NYSERDA told the AGRION Sustainability Conference audience in February.
“We are helping to provide incentives for building management system upgrades,” he said. “Occupancy strategies have become more popular.”
Ambitious goals are not without challenges, however, “even with seasoned, capable people, there is a reluctance to adopt technologies not proven in NY, even if the same technologies have proven track records in other states or overseas,” said Schaer.
NYSERDA is also developing funding programs to help multi-family residential buildings convert their heating systems from heavy fuel oil to natural gas, Schaer said at the conference. This is an area where New York State, New York City and private business are in harmony, with National Grid and Mayor Bloomberg all on board.
