On September 20, 2024, New York State’s Department of Public Service (DPS), as part of the NYSERDA Clean Energy Events, hosted a conference in Albany to discuss the electrification of homes and buildings in the low-to-moderate income (LMI) market segment.
The conference was held in response to the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) Order on July 20, 2023, which directed the development of energy efficiency and building electrification proposals. This order is part of a statewide effort to transition away from fossil fuels, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency. The proposals, submitted by NYSERDA and New York’s major electric and gas utilities on November 1, 2023, focus on the years 2026 to 2030. They prioritize funding for the electrification of space and water heating in New York’s building stock, with a particular focus on the LMI market, as these communities are most at risk in the energy transition. The DPS aims to explore several key areas for developing an LMI energy efficiency and electrification strategy, including energy affordability, consumer protections, funding opportunities, and customer outreach and education.
Gay Nicholson, President of Sustainable Finger Lakes (SFLX), was invited to participate in the morning panel with other front-line providers to share insights from their work helping LMI families make the transition to clean energy in both single family and multi-family settings. The panelists were asked to describe their programs and share insights including barriers and recommendations for advancing the electrification of LMI housing in NYS.
Dr. Nicholson focused on the mobile home pilot project that is supported by a grant from the Tompkins County Recovery Fund. The project aims to retrofit 50 mobile homes with envelope improvements and heat pumps, targeting households earning below 300% of the federal poverty level. Tompkins County has over 4,000 mobile homes, predominantly in rural areas, housing a vulnerable LMI population, including seniors, young families, and immigrants. These homes are especially at risk for heat stress due to poor insulation. Through partnerships with county government, the Mobile Home Task Force, local agencies, and area installers, the project has successfully enrolled 78 households, completed 21 installations, and has 28 more in progress.
Partner Contributions
Other key partners of SFLX also presented at the conference on the afternoon panel on priorities for LMI electrification policy, strategy, and programs, including Lisa Marshall, Hal Smith, and Lindsay Speer.
Lisa Marshall is the Advocacy and Organizing Director for New Yorkers for Clean Power (NYCP), and formerly the Program Director of HeatSmart Tompkins. Under her leadership, HeatSmart Tompkins doubled program participation and increased the adoption of heat pumps in LMI households. A long-time advocate for building decarbonization, Lisa has been active in promoting equitable building electrification through education, lobbying, and grassroots campaigns. As an individual, she has also contributed to our Finger Lakes Climate Fund to offset her carbon footprint.
Hal Smith is the owner of Halco Energy, which offers energy services, including installing clean renewable energy systems. Halco, known for their commitment to sustainability, has been a key partner of Sustainable Finger Lakes, especially in completing 90% of the retrofits in the mobile home pilot project. Halco was also the first member of the Finger Lakes Enterprises for Climate Action (FLECA) and recently renewed their membership with a generous $5,000 carbon offset donation.
Lindsay Speer, the Senior Energy Planner at the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, was previously the Director of Community Programs and Operations for Alliance for a Green Economy. She was instrumental in her leadership role building the HeatSmart CNY campaign, where the campaign achieved the highest carbon emission reductions in the state. Lindsay has a deep commitment to environmental justice and has spent years working with local communities and Native Nations on environmental issues.
The work of SFLX and our key partners demonstrate the importance of taking an energy justice approach in the transition to clean energy. LMI communities, particularly renters, often lack control over their energy choices, making them more vulnerable to being left behind. The climate impacts of methane use and growing data on indoor air quality issues are additional challenges for these communities. The reality is that significant subsidies for LMI households will be necessary to ensure equitable access to clean energy, but the long-term goal should be to transition these groups en masse to renewable energy sources.
We are glad that our progress and recommendations were shared at the conference. We look forward to sharing more results as we continue our work on energy efficiency and electrification projects. A big thank you to our individual offsetters and FLECA partners for making this work possible. Keep participating and supporting these important initiatives!
