Westchester County Association and Pace Energy and Climate Center Launch Clean Energy Program Portal
The Westchester County Association (WCA), in partnership with Pace Energy and Climate Center, is proud to announce the launch of the Clean Energy Program Portal. This dynamic, searchable guide acts as a clearinghouse that enables businesses to easily find clean energy programs and incentives available in Westchester County and the surrounding region.
From reduced waste to decreased costs and increased productivity, it’s clear why making the shift to clean energy can offer major advantages. Businesses receive the added benefit of improving their overall brand image by “going green,” all while promoting a healthier and safer workplace for their employees. However, this process can be difficult to navigate through which can quickly discourage many businesses from making a transition. With the launch of the Clean Energy Program Portal, businesses can now easily access the range of programs and resources available for a smooth transition. Businesses and their buildings now have a blueprint to help reduce their carbon footprint. Organization leaders and executives can also learn about eco-friendly incentives and rebates to make these project costs more economical.
“Clean energy and sustainability are our future. Throughout our extensive research and focus groups, we heard the roadblocks many were encountering on the path to sustainability and knew there could be a better way,” said Michael N. Romita, President & CEO, Westchester County Association. “If a company wants to go green, it should be a manageable process. Our goal with this information portal is to do just that as well as encourage more businesses to make steps toward clean energy.”
Partner on the project, Craig Hart, Executive Director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center, said, “Helping businesses to decarbonize is essential to reaching sustainability goals. Working together with the WCA, our aim is to make the Clean Energy Program Portal the go-to resource for businesses in our own community to identify the support available to green their products and services.”
The benefits of the portal are already being seen by local businesses in Westchester. “As a small business owner interested in implementing energy efficient office building renovations, I spent a lot of time researching several different websites but could not locate the right opportunities for our office space. Some incentives I located were better suited for larger buildings and others required substantial capital improvement budgets. I knew incentives for small businesses were out there, yet I became discouraged when I couldn’t find what I was looking for,” said Donna Hager, CEO and President of Macan Deve. “After visiting the Clean Energy Program Portal, I learned exactly what our business is eligible for, in a short amount of time. The Portal really is a one-stop-shop that saves business owners time, which can be better spent at running our businesses.”
Energy and sustainability is one of the WCA’s newest areas of focus and one of the main pillars of the Post Pandemic Working Group report published in September of 2020. Within the report, the WCA outlines and advocates for recommended policies and transitional incentives to help businesses in the region bridge the gap between traditional energy sources and a carbon free economy.
“We commend the WCA for taking a leadership role in promoting a pro- business, clean energy future for Westchester,” said Ken Theobalds, Vice President, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Entergy.
The WCA is also proud to be participating in another initiative with Sustainable Westchester to launch a new online tool Westchester GeoPossibilities. This tool enables Westchester County property owners to simply assess the feasibility of geothermal ground source energy for every lot in the county. The free tool comes at a crucial time, amid Con Edison’s natural gas constrained areas in the county and amid a pressing need nationally to reduce carbon emissions by increasing green infrastructure. On July 22, 2021, Sustainable Westchester, the Westchester County Association, and NYSERDA will co-host a virtual event to raise awareness of this new green energy opportunity.
As an industry leader dedicated to providing sustainable energy to the communities they serve, Con Edison’s Director of Westchester Regional Community Affairs, Jane Solnick said, “Con Edison is committed to leading the transition to the clean energy future. We are pleased to support the efforts of the Clean Energy Program Portal. This portal will help customers improve their energy efficiency, identify incentives, and adopt clean energy alternatives that will help them reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs.”
More and more, organizations focused on long-term success are embracing the critical concepts of sustainability management. Earlier this year, the WCA partnered with Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business to provide an online course in organizational sustainability for working professionals. Additionally, Michael Romita recently taught a Continuing Legal Education course on the topic of “Biden Administration Clean Energy Agenda: Tackling Climate Change and What Does it Mean to New York Business?” with Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law on June 22.
To view the Clean Energy Program Portal* please visit: westchester.org/clean-energy-guide
*Please Note: The design and funding of each program is subject to change.
Join the WCA to be a key part of developing innovative solutions to our region’s most pressing challenges. Visit westchester.org/member-benefits for more information. To become a member, contact Julia Emrick, Managing Director, Operations & Events, at (914) 948-5689 or info@westchester.org.
About Westchester County Association
The Westchester County Association is the preeminent professional leadership organization serving Westchester County and the region. The Association is committed to Smart Growth, economic vitality, and to providing a strong and clear voice for the collaborative interests of business and nonprofits. Its key objectives are to promote positive economic development in the region, foster business development, and provide its members with access to key public and private sector individuals, agencies, and organizations. For more information about the Westchester County Association, visit www.westchester.org.
About Pace Energy and Climate Center
Pace Energy and Climate Center is a project of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. More than a think tank, the Pace Energy and Climate Center turns ideas into action. We believe thoughtful engagement of government and key stakeholders leads to better public policy. We conduct research and analysis on legal, regulatory and policy matters because thorough, objective analyses are essential to finding solutions to today’s complex energy and climate change challenges. We are lawyers, economists, scientists, and energy analysts, committed to achieving real-world progress. For more information, visit energy.pace.edu or contact pecc@law.pace.edu
