The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Customer-Sited Tier Fuel Cell Program will provide as much as $21.6 million through 2015 for incentives toward the cost of stationary fuel cell installation, plus payments over the first three years of operation based on power produced.
Companies can collect a total payment of up to $1 million for fuel cells, based on the size of the project. Funding is awarded to applications received on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Fuel cells present a promising technology that NYSERDA strongly supports. If more large power consumers install fuel cells to offset some of their power needs, this will further our progress toward growing clean energy in New York State while taking some of the strain off the electric grid.
—Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA
The program is funded under the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). The RPS, created by the state Public Service Commission in 2004 to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, is administered by NYSERDA and collected from utility ratepayers. The fund is used to help pay for dozens of clean-energy projects every year, ranging from large-scale wind farms to photovoltaic panels on private homes.
The funding is available to New York ratepayers who pay the RPS charge, but intended for businesses, government facilities, apartment complexes or other large enterprises. Extra incentives will be available to sites that serve a public benefit, such as hospitals, police stations or disaster shelters.
A variety of facilities around the state are installing or operating fuel cells funded partially by NYSERDA, including:
- Price Chopper Supermarkets, Colonie, Albany County and Glenville, Schenectady County.
- Coca-Cola Refreshments, Inc., Elmsford, Westchester County.
- Fox News, New York City.
- The Octagon Park apartment complex, Roosevelt Island, NYC
- East Rochester Central School District.