City to support clean energy for Queens homeowners
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Queens residents will have new resources to help them switch their homes to clean energy, Mayor de Blasio announced. Photo via Cindy Shebley/Flickr
By Rachel Vick
Queens homeowners are getting a leg up in installing solar panels from a new initiative to support small scale green energy, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday
ElectrifyNYC will provide free consultation services for owners of one-to-four unit family homes with a focus on low- and moderate-income families in Queens and Staten Island.
“To confront the climate crisis and deliver a just transition to a green economy, we have to deploy and quickly scale the best energy efficient technologies for buildings of all sizes,” said Ben Furnas, director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability. “The ElectrifyNYC program is one more piece of the puzzle for how we are building a healthy, safe, and inclusive New York City.”
The program will provide free assistance with finding tailored energy solutions for peoples’ buildings, financial incentives, and professional contractors through partnership with Kinetic Communities and Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens and Staten Island.
At-risk neighborhoods in the borough will be prioritized for projects to help install panels and transform heat sources to electric instead of gas or oil, and the workforce development aspect will focus on Minority and Women-owned Businesses, priority population businesses, and contractors who have yet to qualify for other incentives.
"After the tumultuous year Queens residents and all New Yorkers have had, we are looking for any and all resources to aid homeowners and small businesses as our city continues to recover," said State Sen. Leroy Comrie. “The initiative also making green jobs available to MWBE's to help boost our local economy while also helping to shrink our carbon footprint, makes it a win-win for our neighborhoods.”
Comrie said ElectrifyNYC “will bring much needed financial relief through investment and no-cost technical assistance for property owners.”
The scale of buildings included in the initiative are particularly well-suited for the change in energy source and cost-cutting benefit that could come with the swap, according to the city.
Emissions generated from heating, cooling, and powering one-to-four family homes account for 20 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“Hurricane Ida reminds us of the critical need for investment in our neighborhoods and the infrastructure for low- and moderate-income households,” said Yoselin Genao Estrella, Executive Director, Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens CDC.
“ElectrifyNYC is an opportunity to ensure our communities have access to solar readiness and energy efficiency,” Estrella added. “We commend NYSERDA for investing in where we live and providing much-needed resources to our devastated communities in Queens.”
Residents can participate by emailing ElectrifyNYC@KC3.nyc or calling (718) 500-0172.
