Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is clean, affordable and domestically available. Renewable energy reduces our dependence on imported fossil fuels and the supply is infinite.  

Renewable energy technologies, such as solar, wind and geothermal, generate electricity with a minimum of pollution and carbon emissions and have the potential to significantly reduce our reliance on shale gas, coal and other polluting fossil fuels that are accelerating climate change.  

RenewableNY is making clean technologies more accessible to New York residents, businesses, schools and municipalities.

 

New York's Clean Energy Revolution

Solar

Small Wind Systems

Geothermal

Energy Conservation

Investing in Renewables

Community Climate Action Plans

 

Climate Smart Communities

RenewableNY is committed to partnering with and promoting Climate Smart Communities, a network of New York communities engaged in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving climate resilience.

In 2009 New York State created the Climate Smart Communities program as a unique state and local partnership to reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions, save taxpayer dollars, and advance community goals for health and safety, economic vitality, energy independence, and quality of life. Six New York State agencies jointly sponsor the CSC Program, including the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the Department of State, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, and the Public Service Commission.

 

Goals for the CSC program: 

  • Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
  • Save taxpayers money by reducing energy demand and increasing efficiency;
  • Improve operations and infrastructure to support renewable energy and low-carbon technologies;
  • Provide a platform for addressing inter-municipal issues with similar assets and issues;
  • Enable access to tools and resources for best practices in climate protection; and
  • Facilitate Climate Action Planning to define best strategies for each community.

Representatives from Catskill Mountainkeeper serve on the Ulster and Kingston Climate Smart committees.

For more information about joining the Climate Smart Community visit: http://www.midhudsoncsc.org/join.html

 

The Energy Democracy Alliance 

As part of Catskill Mountainkeeper’s work to create a socially just and clean energy system, Mountainkeeper is a founding member of The Energy Democracy Alliance. The Energy Democracy Alliance is a collaboration of community-based organizations, grassroots groups, and others working together to advance a just and participatory transition to a resilient, localized, and democratically controlled clean energy economy in New York State.

The Energy Democracy Alliance envisions a renewable energy system that is led by and prioritizes solutions for low- and moderate-income communities and communities of color who are most impacted by our current energy and economic system. The Alliance transforms communities’ relationship to power through advocacy, organizing, job creation, coalition-building, policy research, and public education for an equitable, sustainable energy future.

The Alliance’s work is currently focused on building public participation and influence in a major overhaul of state energy policy being pursued right now by Governor Cuomo, the New York Public Service Commission and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The policy overhaul is taking place through a number of initiatives driven by the Public Service Commission.

For more information visit: http://energydemocracyny.org