Renewable-energy project funding available

Jan 26 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Dan Heath The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

The state of New York has made $250 million in funding available for renewable-energy projects.

The funding was announced by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Public Service Commission.

Supported by the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard, the funds are to be awarded competitively. The Energy Research and Development Authority and the Public Service Commission have solicited proposals for projects that generate electricity using wind, hydroelectric, biomass or other clean-energy resources.

Funding awards are expected to be announced in April.

The Energy Research and Development Authority has awarded funding to 39 large-scale renewable electricity generation projects through the Renewable Portfolio Standard that are expected to provide 4.3 million megawatt hours of renewable energy each year. That includes three biomass facilities, one landfill biogas operation, 21 hydroelectric upgrades and 14 wind farms.

Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Francis Murray Jr. said the program has been instrumental in attracting private, green-energy investments in the state.

"By building our clean-energy infrastructure, we will create jobs, improve our environment and strengthen our energy resources," he said in a news release.

That has increased the wind-power capacity in the state to 25 times that which existed before the Renewable Portfolio Standard and has enabled New York to be ranked first in the Northeast and eighth nationally in installed wind capacity.

Public Service Commission Chairman Garry Brown said continued implementation of the Renewable Portfolio Standard will allow New York to take greater control of its energy future.

"This renewable-energy program has been a key element for obtaining a more diversified energy portfolio for New York state, as well as helping to create much-needed clean-energy jobs," he said. "Moving forward with this solicitation reaffirms the important value we place on the development of the clean-energy sector."

Estimates indicate projects currently in the program will deliver more than $4.5 billion in economic benefits to New York during the next 20 years. Those benefits are in the form of long-term and short-term jobs, property-tax payments to municipalities and schools, in-state purchases of goods and services, lease payments to landowners and more.

The Energy Research and Development Authority has also posted a schedule of future solicitations on its website. Those are expected to take place annually during the next several years.

E-mail Dan Heath at:

dheath@pressrepublican.com