New York is investing tax dollars in the future. Here is a story about a $1.8 million grant awarded by the state to fund solar purchasing co-ops, energy efficiency projects and job training in the southern part of the state.
“Renewable NY Southeast” is a three-year, multifaceted, flagship project and bi-regional partnership between the four anchor community organizations, and is intended to raise public awareness about the benefits of and opportunities for solar, as well as to remove market barriers to increased solar installation. By aggregating hundreds of sign-ups for of solar installations in a short time-frame, a campaign of this sort can bring the cost per installation down from $20,000 to $4,000.
The project’s main components will include an education and awareness campaign, a group purchasing program, and a work force development partnership with local educational and training institutions. Each of these initiatives is envisioned as a scalable and replicable model that can be implemented in other regions of New York going forward.
Instead of doubling down on obsolete technology to please out of state holding companies, as in WV, the people of New York are making real investments in their future.
