Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, PSEG Long Island, and the Long Island Power Authority have announced a partnership that will be included in the county’s 2020 shared services plan to assist local governments with energy efficiency projects, reduce carbon emissions, and reduce electricity bills.
The SuffolkShare Efficiency Partnership will combine a series of initiatives to assist the current total of 105 shared services partners in the county. Among them are free energy assessments for local governments; more direct information and assistance for municipalities and districts in planning efficiency projects that qualify for rebates from PSEG Long Island; cooperative procurements for lower-cost pricing of equipment and materials for energy efficiency products, such as LED lighting, HVAC systems, and windows, and the creation of a shared services committee, which will include subject matter experts from the county and PSEG Long Island, to assist other local governments with information on best practices and opportunities in developing energy efficiency programs.
The SuffolkShare Efficiency Partnership will also assist local governments with analyzing their energy usage data from PSEG Long Island, including forthcoming information from “smart meters” that will provide data to assist in reduction of energy consumption.
The program is based on energy efficiency programs in the county government, led by the Department of Economic Development and the Department of Public Works. These programs have increased the efficiency of county energy use and have led to more than $10 million in annual savings, as well as qualifying for hundreds of thousands of dollars in rebates from PSEG Long Island and LIPA.
The SuffolkShare Efficiency Partnership is projected to assist local governments and districts in complying with the New York State Green New Deal legislation, which aims to reduce carbon emissions statewide by 85 percent by 2050. Under the legislation, state agencies must review all projects, plans, and applications, including applications for state aid and grant funding, that go before them for consistency with the emissions reduction goals.
“The Town of East Hampton, which has enacted a number of programs to help both the municipality and our businesses and residents reduce energy consumption, is looking forward to partnering with the county and other Long Island municipalities in the SuffolkShare Efficiency program, saving money for taxpayers while working to protect the environment,” Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc said in a statement issued by the county.