Clean Energy Calendar

Join Clean + Healthy for a webinar on Children’s Environmental Health on Tuesday, October 11 at 7 pm as part of the 2022 Know Your Toxics Series.

They will discuss campaigns to make children’s lives healthier and less toxic, in advance of Children’s Environmental Health Day on Thursday, October 13th with special guests:

• Nsedu Witherspoon, Executive Director of the Childen’s Environmental Health Network
• Loreen Hackett of the PFOA Project NY

Register for the event here.

Join Electrify Now and Rewiring America for a detailed look at the incentives within the IRA and what they will mean for home electrification on Tuesday, October 11 at 7 pm. They will be addressing the following questions:

• What kind of home improvements are covered by the IRA?
• How is the appliance rebate program structured?
• Are their income qualifications for rebates and tax incentives
• When do we expect these rebates and incentives will be available?
• How will the IRA impact new building construction?
• How does the IRA stimulate industry investment in renewable energy?

Panelist: Cora Wyent is a Research Associate at Rewiring America, where she is conducting research and analysis to enable rapid electrification of everything in the economy. Prior to Rewiring America, she completed her PhD in Physics at Caltech, where she studied new materials for ultrathin solar cells and performed technoeconomic analysis of new photovoltaic and carbon capture technologies. She got excited about electrification as a cost-effective, job-creating, and equitable climate solution through representing the Sunrise Movement Los Angeles on the SoCal Building Electrification Coalition. Cora received her bachelor’s degree in Physics from UNC Chapel Hill. She is from the Bay Area, and currently lives in Los Angeles with her wife and their cat.

Register here.

Join New Buildings Institue for a webinar on Wednesday, October 12 at 2 pm.

This session will feature presenters who are advancing codes and policies that will effectively decarbonize existing buildings and bring us the scale we seek. New Buildings Institute will share a new resource, the recently released Existing Buildings Decarbonization Code, to help jurisdictions set clear and approachable pathways to cut carbon emissions through existing building codes. This tool presents language that acts as an overlay to the 2021 International Efficiency Conservation Code (IECC) and details the measures needed for cutting emissions from the current building stock. A representative from the City and County of Denver will present examples of decarbonization policies at a jurisdictional scale including the use of building performance standards and zero energy policies.

Register for the event here.

Join the Electrify Coalition for Electrification Week in partnership with Sustainable Building Week – promoting sustainable building practices.

As building electrification picks up momentum in the private and commercial building space, kitchen electrification is critical to avoid fossil fuel infrastructure in commercial buildings but often thought of as a stumbling block or challenge. This free webinar will explore why induction cooking and all-electric commercial kitchens delivers superior cooking performance, how this avoids the health and safety risks to staff associated with burning fossil fuels in restaurants, and why this technology is poised to take over in commercial kitchens.

With so many exciting, super-powered induction and electric cooking options, the myth of the superiority of gas cooking is going up in flames. Join Chef Chris Galarza for an exploration of the all electric commercial kitchen based on his work in restaurants, universities and corporate campuses. See a variety of examples of all-electric projects as we review the benefits of switching to all electric cooking.

This webinar will answer questions such as :

What equipment makes up a commercial electric kitchen?
Why do these solutions offer superior cooking performance?
Why is natural gas dangerous to use in restaurants?
How much does it cost to build or retrofit a kitchen to electric?
How does an all-electric commercial kitchen benefit kitchen staff?

Register for the event here.

In November 2021, New Yorkers passed the Environmental Rights Amendment (New York’s “Green Amendment”) with over 70% of the vote: as a result, the state’s Bill of Rights now recognizes that “each person shall have a right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.” This is great news for all New Yorkers, especially environmental justice communities and the wider climate justice movement.

Join the discussion “The Environmental Rights Amendment: By and For New Yorkers” on October 12th from 7-8:30pm. Together, we will discuss the Environmental Rights Amendment: What exactly is it? What could it do for your community? How might it advance environmental justice? In a discussion moderated by Kate Kurera (Environmental Advocates NY), speakers Professor Rebecca Bratspies (CUNY School of Law), Anthony Rogers-Wright (New York Lawyers for the Public Interest), Maya van Rossum (Green Amendment for the Generations & Delaware Riverkeeper Network), and Michael Youhana (Earthjustice) will help answer these questions and suggest ways we can use the Environmental Rights Amendment to strengthen environmental protection moving forward.

Register for the event here.

Get ready for this year’s Empire Clean Vehicle Festival! Join ECC and its partners for a showcase of the latest clean transportation innovations operating in our region. The festival will feature zero and near-zero emission vehicles of all sizes, charging infrastructure technology, and opportunities to learn more about local air quality improvement projects.This year’s festival will feature:

• An electric school bus and information on how to get involved with local clean school bus initiatives
• Low- and zero-emission vehicles from NYC agency fleets and other New York-based fleets 
• Interactive, family-friendly activities 
• Information about alternative fuels, including biodiesel and bio-based products
• One-on-one fleet funding support
• And more!

For more information on display opportunities and event partnerships, contact Joy@empirecleancities.org—and if you’re interested in one-on-one fleet incentive coaching at the 2022 ECVF, sign up here!

Offshore wind is a rapidly accelerating industry in the United States, but many challenges lie ahead. Some coastal waters, including those off the West Coast of the US, are too deep to install traditional, fixed-bottom wind turbines. Around the world, renewable energy developers are turning to floating turbines as a solution. This promising technology will revolutionize where and how we generate offshore wind power, but states and developers must work together to determine how best to deploy it.

In this webinar, hosted by the from Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) and World Forum Offshore Wind (WFO) , Adrienne Downey with offshore wind project developer Hexicon Group will present the current state of floating offshore wind technology around the world and will chat with California Energy Commissioner Kourtney Vaccaro about the potential of floating offshore wind in the US and the obstacles to its adoption.

Hosts:

– Sam Schacht (CESA)

– Mike Matthews (WFO)

Special Guests:

– Adrienne Downey (Hexicon)

– Kourtney Vaccaro (California Energy Commission)

Reigster for the event here.

In the face of climate catastrophe and utility-caused calamity across the country, energy democracy activists are calling for control, ownership, and decision-making regarding energy resources to reside in the community rather than in remote corporate boardrooms.

As collaborators of the Energy Democracy Project, we have answered the calls for solidarity from across the movement, and invites your allies and network to join us for the official public launch of the Reimagined Energy for Our Communities (REFOCUS) Campaign on October 13th at 2 pm.

It’s time to unite our efforts for justice, from Alaska to Puerto Rico, and welcomes all from the public–allies, collaborators, and individuals–to participate in taking action. Join us to reimagine energy for our communities and create new systems that advance justice!

Register for the event here.

Join Electrify Now for a webinar on Thursday, October 13 at 3 pm.

Electrification offers benefits to every household: from improved indoor air quality that results from not burning fossil fuels in the home, to increased comfort from heat pumps, to faster cooking times with induction stoves, to energy savings from efficient appliances.

Yet, too often, the benefits of efficient, electric technologies are only available to those who can afford the upfront costs of switching to electric.

In this webinar we’ll profile some of the leading programs that are searching to extend these benefits to low income communities. We’ll explore the challenges and opportunities these programs have encountered and search for best practices that other communities might emulate.

Panelists

Michael Stoddard, Efficiency Maine – Michael is the Executive Director at Efficiency Maine. Efficiency Maine is the administrator for programs to improve the efficiency of energy use and reduce greenhouse gases in Maine. It serves all sectors and all regions of the state. Its suite of nationally recognized programs provides consumer information, discounts, rebates, loans and investments for high-efficiency, clean energy equipment and strategies to manage energy demand.

Sam Baraso, Portland Clean Energy Fund – Sam is the program manager for the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) team in charge of implementing Measure 26-201, approved by 65% of Portland voters in November 2018. Sam brings a wealth of government experience and community leadership to the effort, where he works closely with frontline communities and City of Portland leadership to bring PCEF to life. Prior to his role at the City, Sam served as a senior policy advisor in Multnomah County’s Office of Sustainability. Sam also serves on the State of Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission, the board of Willamette Partnership, and previously served on the board for Imagine Black (formerly the Portland African American Leadership Forum). Sam holds a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University and an undergraduate in finance from Washington University in St. Louis.

Register for the event here.

EV SYMPOSIUM AND RIDE N’ DRIVE
This year’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Symposium and Ride and Drive event will bring local utilities and EV manufacturers together at Farmingdale State College to educate attendees on the industry today and where it is heading for the future. The focus of this event will be on both consumer and fleet EVs. EV manufacturers will also have vehicles present for attendees to test drive around a set up track in front of Farmingdale State College’s Campus Center.

* This event is free for attendees.
** The rain date for this event is: Friday, October 28th, 2022, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

The IREC Vision Summit is a one-day visionary exploration of what’s needed to make our nation’s bold clean energy goals a reality. The Summit brings together clean energy stakeholders—including prominent industry leaders, state and federal decision-makers, advocates, and others—for a deep dive into policies and practices that are essential for all Americans to benefit from clean energy.

This year’s Vision Summit theme is workforce development. The events of the day will build upon and advance the work of the National Clean Energy Workforce Alliance, an inclusive, cross-sector effort to build the clean energy workforce of the future and ensure that expanding clean energy job opportunities can benefit diverse candidates and underserved communities.

Since January 2022, hundreds of employers, training and education providers, community-based recruitment and support organizations, energy justice organizations, and government entities at all levels have convened to identify solutions to improve clean energy education, training, and job placement outcomes. Vision Summit sessions will explore some of the workforce development best practices that have emerged from this work and how to accelerate their adoption.

When: Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Where: National Housing Center Auditorium, Washington, D.C. Attendees will also have the option to participate virtually.

Register here for in-person and virutal attendance.

Join Climate XChange for a webinar on Thursday, October 20 at 2 pm.

Among the many pro-climate funding mechanisms in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is $20 billion for the creation of a national, nonprofit green bank, and $7 billion specifically for state, local, and tribal governments’ own clean power investments. Green banks are nonprofit institutions designed to provide and leverage capital to accelerate the transition to clean energy and mitigate climate change, and there are currently 23 sub-federal green banks across 17 states.

The IRA’s allowances for green banking will facilitate direct and indirect investments into emissions reductions projects, especially in underserved communities, and states will play a huge role in allocating funds. In states with or without existing green banks, climate policy actors must understand how the IRA affects state-level clean power financing institutions.

Joining Climate XChange to explore the IRA’s impacts on sub-federal green banks, including both state-funded and independent nonprofit institutions, are :

• Henry Litman, Senior Director at Coalition for Green Capital
• Bryan Garcia, President and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank
• Duanne Andrade, CFO of the Solar Energy Loan Fund in Florida.

Register for the event here

NY-BEST is hosting our Annual Fall Energy Storage Technology and Innovation Conference on Wednesday, October 26th, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency in Rochester, NY.

This annual event brings together leading minds in energy storage technology and innovation for a stimulating one-day conference on the latest groundbreaking work and technological advances in the rapidly growing field of energy storage technology, including:

• advancements in storage technologies and applications
• new market use cases
• advancements in product development
• commercialization, manufacturing, and supply chain development

Register for the event by October 24th here.

For a discounted room rate for October 25th through October 26th, please reserve at the Hyatt Regency, Rochester, NY by booking online or calling 585-546-1234 and mentioning the NY-BEST 2022 conference. This discount is only available until 12:00 AM EST September 20th, 2022

In this webinar, Stacey Snow and Melanie Holtz from Jacobs will discuss air quality compliance for offshore wind. Topics to be covered include permitting requirements, pollution controls, and environmental justice considerations. Stacey is an Offshore Wind Project Manager at Jacobs and Melanie is a Senior Technologist.

Learning from the Experts is an educational webinar series hosted by NYSERDA’s Offshore Wind Team. The series features independent experts speaking on key offshore wind topics, including wind farm technologies, development practices, regulatory processes, and research initiatives. Visit Learning from the Experts webpage for more information on the series.

Register here

The building sector is a substantial contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. This webinar on Wednesday, October 26 at 1 PM will highlight two state initiatives that are making a big impact in decarbonizing this sector.

The California Energy Commission’s 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards for newly constructed buildings and renovated buildings blazes a trail for states seeking to decarbonize aggressively and cost-effectively. This update to the state energy code includes electric heat pumps as the performance standard baseline for single-family homes, multifamily homes, and select commercial buildings. It also includes a first-in-the-nation standard for solar-electric systems plus battery storage for select nonresidential building types, including high-rise multifamily, hotel/motels, medical clinics, retail stores, restaurants, and schools. Over the next 30 years, this code is estimated to provide the state with $1.5 billion in environmental benefits, equivalent to taking nearly 2.2 million cars off the road for a year.

The New York Clean Energy Initiative, a joint effort of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), provides incentives and technical assistance for electrification and high-performance envelope improvements in new and existing multifamily affordable housing developments. The program offers a replicable and scalable model to accelerate decarbonization of affordable housing, a notoriously hard-to-reach sector. Through this program, more New York families will benefit from healthy, clean energy homes, and housing developers have streamlined access to technical assistance and clean energy incentives to support decarbonization.

In this webinar, representatives from the California Energy Commission and NYSERDA will present their programs and answer questions from the audience. CESA’s Warren Leon will moderate.

These programs were recipients of the 2022 State Leadership in Clean Energy Awards.

Register for the webinar here.