Governor Andrew Cuomo said this week that 112,000 homes, hospitals, schools and commercial buildings in New York have started or completed energy efficiency initiatives through state programs. Most of the startups, naturally, are homes. About 90,000 of the projects involve homes. The projects are estimated to save $341 million in annual energy costs and take the equivalent of 168,000 cars off the road.
In January, the state launched the “Energy to Lead Competition.” The program, which is aimed at college and universities across the state, asks for their clean energy project ideas. The competition is part of the Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) Campus Challenge. The goal is to let the students help meet state goals. By 2030, the state hopes to cut 40 percent greenhouse gas emissions, generation half of the state’s electricity by renewables and a decrease energy consumption by 23 percent