Planning For Net Zero In Your Community

By Diane Levin, VP Marketing and Product Development, New York Power Authority

As part of our climate leadership goals, New York State is committed to 70% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. While net zero has traditionally been associated with new building codes and standards - communities are increasingly taking up the challenge within existing facilities.

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) is leading the path to net zero decarbonization for our customers.

We have helped some of the largest customers in New York State, including local governments, communities, and municipalities to meet their energy efficiency goals.

We guide our customers on the complex path to net zero, and manage through policy changes, incentives, grants, and new technologies. We also provide advisory, contracting and implementation services ranging from retrofits and recommissioning through to an all-encompassing multi-year clean energy master plan.

A move to carbon net zero should consider all aspects of clean energy – from simple energy efficiency solutions to solar and even electric vehicles (EVs). Customers may want to consider these factors when moving to net zero:

HOLISTIC PLANNING. There’s an interplay between operations, building electrification, technologies available, demand and energy charges, clean energy choices, and organizational goals. The best plan takes into consideration your organization’s cost savings and sustainability goals, and matches them to energy efficiency possibilities today with a path for a net zero outcome in the future.

OPTIONS FOR YOUR NET ZERO BUILDING. NYPA looks at each of these opportunities individually and then brings them together into a comprehensive plan:

Recommissioning and maintenance A well-running system can reduce energy consumption without sacrificing operational performance. Recommissioning is a must. Over time, even the best systems drift and need a refresh for optimized operations.

Smart technologies Consider smart technology upgrades to monitor energy usage. This provides the data you need to fully optimize your system, and prepares you for future opportunities in demand response or other grid management programs.

Building electrification Switching from fuel to electric energy opens the potential for net zero carbon buildings through renewable energy credits (RECs), and offers the potential to tap into distributed energy resources.

Distributed energy resources (DERs) Solar and storage offer the opportunity for green energy and resilience.

EV infrastructure EVs are not technically a part of a net zero building, but as EV adoption grows, communities will need to add supporting parking and charging infrastructure. A clean energy expert can design these parking and charging systems to include storage and to manage peak usage – both important aspects of a net zero future.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: PAYBACK TIME, INCENTIVES,

GRANTS, AND BUDGET IMPACT. Before starting a project, NYPA does a payback and cost/benefit analysis. On the budgeting side, we can implement projects with no upfront cost, and can structure the payments to come out of incremental cash flow. We also apply for grants to reduce the cost of the project.

POLICY, INCENTIVES, AND PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS

THAT IMPACT GOVERNMENT ENTITIES. The marketplace is changing quickly, and government entities need to be upto-date on policy impacts, state and local mandates, and incentives and grants. They also need to meet contracting and procurement requirements.

NYPA keeps on top of local, state and federal policy, and shepherds our customer organizations through the contracting and procurement process. We recommend that government organizations reach out to us, or identify another partner that can help them stay up-to-date on the ever-changing landscape.

In summary, careful planning and management can help organizations assess options and achieve net zero in a costeffective manner.

Contact NYPA today to learn how we can support your clean energy initiatives at energysolutions@nypa. gov or visit www.nypa.gov/services

PROUDLY SERVING THE 62 COUNTIES OF NEW YORK STATE

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Charles Nesbitt, Jr. cnesbitt@wendelcompanies.com

877.293.6335

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