Clean Initiatives To Keep Lights, Heat On
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced $20 million to support clean-energy projects that will provide continuous power and heat during power outages.
These projects are in support of recommendations made by Cuomo’s NYS 2100 Commission in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. These combined heat and power (CHP) projects provide manufacturers, apartment buildings, hospitals, universities and other large buildings the ability to produce a portion of their own heat and electricity.
“Investing in combined heat and power technology will help keep our electric grid reliable and efficient, and make our businesses more competitive,” said Cuomo. “In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, we have learned the value and importance of having clean-energy technologies like CHP in place that will keep the lights on and systems running for our residents and businesses.”
CHP projects, also known as “cogeneration,” involve the capture of heat produced during electricity generation and the use of it to provide on-site heat or hot water to buildings, for manufacturing or for other purposes.
These installations are capable of achieving higher levels of fuel efficiency by simultaneously producing both electric and useful thermal energy at the facility where the energy is needed. This localized generation can both reduce a facility’s vulnerability to electric distribution system outages and decrease peak demand on the electric grid. Power created at the customer site also avoids inherent energy losses during transmission and distribution.
This program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will only fund CHP systems that can continue to operate during a grid outage. In addition, all applicants in flood zones must install systems in locations that would be “high and dry” in the wake of a worst-case flood scenario.
Since relieving strain on the electric grid is so important in denselypopulated New York City, projects in the city and lower Hudson Valley will receive slightly higher funding, based on a sliding scale. In addition, this program will provide 10 percent more funding to projects that can power an official “facility of refuge”-a shelter to be used at times of emergency-as recognized by the American Red Cross or the local Office of Emergency Management.
The program will pay an incentive of up to $1.5 million per project for installing equipment approved by NYSERDA and installed by approved CHP system vendors. Projects can be as small as 50 kilowatts and as large as 1.3 megawatts, based on building requirements.
Incentive amounts will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until Dec. 30, 2016 or until all funds are committed. Only CHP systems installed at sites that pay the system benefits charge (SBC) are eligible for incentives.
After Hurricane Sandy, Cuomo announced three commissions- NYS 2100, NYS Ready and NYS Response-to improve the state’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities, and to strengthen the state’s infrastructure to withstand natural disasters.
The announcement aligns with a recommendation within the NYS 2100 Commission Report that NYSERDA should expand its incentive programs for distributed generation resources, including CHP, and provide preference to those facilities that will serve as refuge during storm outages.
Over the past 12 years, NYSERDA has invested more than $100 million in CHP technology. This has helped to cut energy costs and reduce the energy use of industrial, commercial, institutional and multifamily residences.
For more information on approved CHP systems and the NYSERDA incentive program, visit www.nyserda.ny.gov/PON2568.
