Transitioning to a Green Energy Economy: How Municipalities Can Benefit

Kaplan Hall, SUNY/Orange,One Washington Center,Newburgh Campus

Please pre-register at www.surveymonkey.com/s/TGEE. There is no charge for the event.

NY State and the Mid-Hudson Region's goals are to actively transition to a Green Energy Economy based increasingly on renewables and energy efficiency. Elected officials will be urged to decide about a variety of initiatives such as Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), Smart Feed-in Tariffs (FITs), standardizing solar permitting, etc. First we need help deciphering this alphabet soup of energy terminology. In order to make wise decisions, we need a solid foundation of understanding of how NY's energy system currently works, where we are going, what innovative steps municipalities can take, and what incentives and opportunities are available to them and to their residential and business constituents. How can we reduce a municipality's energy costs, while ensuring more solar, wind, and hydroelectric generation? How will this transition be financed? How can we implement the very ambitious, but much needed, Energy component of the Mid-Hudson Regional Sustainability Plan? What policy issues will municipalities want or need to weigh in on?

AGENDA

Welcoming Remarks & Keynote : Mark Z. Jacobsen, Stanford University

 Understanding New York’s Electric Grid and Natural Gas Infrastructure: Existing and Proposed: Thomas Rumsey, New York Independent System Operator (NYISO)

 Beyond the Grid: Decentralized Power Generation and Utilization; Balancing loads for a more robust energy portfolio using batteries, fuel cells and pump storage: Tim Corrigan, New York Power Authority (NYPA)

 Mid-Hudson Regional Energy Plan Energy: Leo Wiegman, Mayor of Croton

 Panel Discussion: Fuel Diversity in New York, with Q & A

 Energy Efficiency: Energize Case Study in Innovative Financing: Mark Thielking, EnergizeNY/Energy Improvement Corporation (EIC)

 How Municipalities Can Lead the Way and How NYSERDA Can Help: Priscilla Richards, NYSERDA.  Panel Discussion: Funding the Transition to a Green Energy Economy, with Q & A  Next Steps

CO-SPONSORS

Alliance for Green Energy Economy (AGREE), Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO), Citizens for Local Power (CLP), Courtney-Strong, Croton Energy Group, CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities (CISC), Energize/EIC, Green Guru, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Hudson Valley Regional Council, Hudson Valley Smart Growth Alliance, IBEW Local 363, Joule Assets, Mid-Atlantic Transition Hub (MATH), NY Solar Energy Society, Northern Westchester Energy Action Consortium (NWEAC), NYS Builders Association (NYSBA) Research & Education Foundation, Orange County Planning Department, Riverkeeper, RUPCO, Sierra Club, Southern Westchester Energy Consortium (SWEAC), Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development (SASD), Sullivan County Sustainability Department, Sunrise Solar, Sustainable Hudson Valley (SHV), US Green Building Council/NYS Upstate Chapter.