RGGI Helps New York Homeowners Conserve Energy, Reduce Pollution & Save Money

New Yorks investments in clean energy are helping homeowners save money on their utility bills while reducing the states share of the pollution that is changing our climate. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), created to reduce global warming pollution from power plants in the Northeast, has become the linchpin of New Yorks clean energy strategy, helping consumers use energy more efficiently and accelerating the deployment of renewable energy technologies. Through September 30, 2011, New York has raised $345 million from auctioning RGGI allowances, or carbon dioxide credits. More than $32 million in RGGI dollars is currently helping homeowners reduce their electric bills and invest in weatherization and energy conservation measures, such as sealing air leaks, installing insulation, energy efficient windows, and doors, and mounting solar panels. RGGI investments are also encouraging New Yorkers to install more efficient heating and water heaters. And theres more money in the pipeline. As a result of these investments, New Yorkers will save $46 million on their energy bills while adding value to homes across the Empire State, based on information provided by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). This report is the second in a series about how RGGI is benefiting New Yorkers and the economy.

Success by the Numbers

$1.2 Billion + future economic benefits $32.8 Million clean energy investments $109 Million $46 Million 17,874 Tons projects in the pipeline projected utility bill savings for New Yorkers over 10 years CO2 reductions (equivalent to taking 3,000 cars off the road)

Reducing Pollution & Stimulating the Economy

New York is one of several states participating in the nation's first market-based effort to cap climate-altering pollution from power plants. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) was designed to reduce carbon emissions from power plants, but it has the added benefit of supporting investments that will help consumers become more energy efficient and promote the use of renewable energy. In brief, RGGI is helping reduce pollution and stimulate the economy. The initiative has operated successfully for more than three years.

RGGI at Home
EmPower New York EmPower New York helps low-income New Yorkers cut energy costs by funding energy efficiency improvements such as insulation, blower-door assisted air sealing, and heating systems repair and replacements.
To date, NYSERDA has invested more than $550,000 of a planned $3,000,000 toward energy education, energy audits, and on-the-spot energy efficiency upgrades in low-income households. These investments are anticipated to save hundreds of dollars a year for those hit hardest by energy prices. For example, a couple in Greenfield Center cut their energy bills in half after installing a new boiler and improved insulation through EmPower New York. The average annual savings for program participants in the program are 125 gallons of oil and approximately $500. A family in Watertown used EmPower resources to add insulation to their attic, seal doorways, install a programmable thermostat, reduce air leakage from recessed lights, repair a bathroom vent, and vent the clothes dryer. The family estimates they will save approximately $670 a year in the cost of home heating oil.

Green Residential Building Program Financial incentives are also being provided to owners of new homes and existing residential buildings that have been renovated to reduce energy use by up to 30 percent.
Altogether, 81 projects have received $427,000 in RGGI monies with resulting electricity savings of more than 300,000 kilowatts and over 4,500 Million Metric British thermal units (MMBtu) in natural gas savings annually. Over 10 years, this represents more than $620,000 in utility bill savings. For example, in Rochester, a home builder who has completed more than 20 RGGI-funded projects built new homes 30 percent more efficient than conventional new home construction thanks to incentives from the Green Residential Building Program. The homes received the National Green Building Standard Programs Gold Standard, and feature continuous ventilation systems, tankless water heaters, and highly efficient furnaces.

RGGI Investments by Program

123 4 5
1 EmPower New York $557,029 2 Green Residential Building $427,567 3 Home Performance $96,417 4 Multifamily $2,221,648 5 Solar Thermal $255,294 6 Solar PV $10,635,951 7 Green Jobs New York $18,606,902

RGGI: Clean Energy, Clean Air & Economic Growth for New York 2

Multifamily Performance Program RGGI investments are also reducing oil use for heating and hot water in multifamily residential buildings. Through the program, incentives repair or replace space and water heating systems, insulation, air sealing, and building shell energy efficiency improvements. RGGI monies also leverage money from other efficiency programs to reduce electricity use by installing more efficient lighting and refrigerators.
More than $2,221,000 in RGGI investments have already resulted 122,193 MMBTu in oil savings, and combined with other energy programs resulted in 3,260,057 kilowatts in electricity savings. That adds up to 10-year utility bill savings of more than $28 million. For example, a typical multifamily building that receives RGGI funds has approximately 275 units, uses approximately 150,000 gallons of oil, and spends about $400,000 on oil annually. The typical incentive is $150,000 for a $600,000 project. Buildings use this money to help pay for costs to install heating and cooling controls, air sealing, pipe insulation, window replacements, insulation, low-flow water-saving devices, boiler improvements, and exhaust fan timers. In addition to leveraging monies from other efficiency programs, RGGI investments save $200,000 and 5,800 gallons of oil per year. This cuts annual fuel bills in half and saves more than $2 million during a 10-year period.

Green Jobs New York Green Jobs Green New York is helping free New Yorkers from the burden of their monthly energy bills. RGGI dollars invested in Green Jobs are subsidizing energy audits for single family, multifamily, small business, and not-for-profit building owners. RGGI money is also provided to homeowners in the form of loans to install energy efficient home improvements. As such, Green Jobs Green New York is providing homeowners with more hard-earned cash to spend on food, clothes, and neighborhood businesses.
Through September 30, 2011, Green Jobs Green New York has invested $18 million, resulting in a total electricity savings of 3.2 million kilowatts and fuel savings of 83,810 MMBTU annuallyenough electricity savings to take 437 homes off the grid for one full year. Green Jobs Green New York led to the installation of energy efficiency improvements at 550 homes in the Hudson Valley and Westchester County during 2011. These investments doubled the number of energy efficiency projects in the region over the previous year. The projects resulted in average annual savings of more than $800 per participating household, and will impact homeowners energy bills for years to come. Over the next decade, these homeowners are projected to save nearly $4.5 million on their utility bills.

More than $32 million in RGGI dollars is currently helping homeowners reduce their electric bills and invest in weatherization and energy conservation measures, such as mounting solar panels. Photo: Jon Sowman / Flickr
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