Year In Review 2025
The NYCP team has reflected on some of our key accomplishments in 2025, and we’d like to highlight the people power that has made it possible. Your dedication to clean energy and climate action has powered more than just our mission—you helped create real, tangible change across New York State.
Last year, we rallied for transformative policies, supported communities in their shared mission to transition to renewable energy, and built a stronger foundation for a cleaner, healthier future. We celebrated some victories though challenges continue to arise, we’ll persist towards an equitable clean energy transition across New York .
2025 Legislative Wins
In 2025, over 150 New Yorkers worked with our Clean Energy Coaches to explore energy-saving solutions, with at least 10 electric vehicles (EVs) purchases and countless home energy efficiency upgrades.
The $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax credit expired on September 30, 2025 however New York State still offers an instant rebate of between $500-$2,000 on eligible new EVs through the Drive Clean Rebate program.
Furthermore, automakers and dealers are responding to shifting demand by adjusting prices, offering dealer incentives, or promoting lease options as the market moves toward more affordable electric vehicles. Manufacturers are finally prioritizing lower-cost EVs, with several strong options now available or arriving soon, including the Chevy Equinox EV, the returning Chevy Bolt, and the Nissan Leaf, all expected to qualify for NYS rebates.
Our Clean Energy Coaches can help you navigate the above, as well as provide information on home energy efficiency upgrades to help you best understand your options. Whether it’s understanding rebates, incentives, exploring charging solutions, heat pumps, plugging into community solar projects near you, or catching up on the latest clean energy technologies. We’re here to support you.
Click here to make a free appointment with a clean energy coach.
As a team we attended and supported at least 65 events across the state, including rallies, press conferences, panels, career and community fairs.
Together, we hosted more than a dozen webinars, virtual teach-ins, and in-person community presentations, engaging thousands of New Yorkers across the state. Our programming has reached diverse audiences ranging from students and community members to legislators and other decision makers.
Members from over 30 communities across New York State have reached out to NYCP for guidance on bringing renewable energy to their communities. NYCP can provide advice on how to engage with community leaders, speaking at town hall meetings, write op-eds, and fight misinformation. Last year, our monthly renewables energy speaker series attracted nearly a thousand people who wanted to learn more about solar, agrivoltaics, energy storage, and on-shore wind.
We’ve also strengthened our voice:
- Our communications efforts reached thousands of New Yorkers, with newsletters, webinars, and social media creating a space for advocacy, education, and action. With 193,118 email opens, our outreach is driving meaningful engagement across the state.
Through our work with Renewable Heat Now, ElectrifyNY, Better Buildings New York, and New Yorkers for Clean Air, we have organized thousands of community members, educated advocates to advance legislation that promote cleaner air, cleaner heating and cooling solutions, building electrification, clean transportation solutions, and energy affordability across New York State. We’ve met communities where they are, helping dozens to make their homes healthier, more energy efficient and more comfortable, we provided hands-on resources, and gave away induction cooktops. An example of NYCP helping turn climate solutions into tangible benefits people can experience are our Breathe Easy Workshops in partnership with Association for Energy Affordability.
*These are just a few of the many events and appearances made by the combined New Yorkers For Clean Power Team over 2025.
- We joined over a hundred advocates, legislators and community members from across the state to move the NYHEAT Act forward at the Capitol.
- We presented in Brooklyn to community members to help make their homes more energy efficient and feel more comfortable.
- We attended the Ketcham High School Trade Fair in Dutchess County, and presented to students in Wallkill to support pathways to green jobs.
- We joined the inaugural ribbon cutting of the Mount Morris Solar Project. We believe showing New Yorkers how these projects benefit communities are vital to moving us closer to a clean energy future.
- We testified at public hearings and rate cases, submitted comments for energy planning at local and state levels.
- We ended the year with huge momentum along with our allies as the Capitol, advocating for energy affordability policies. Thanks to Governor Hochul and our climate champions in the legislature, Liz Krueger, Jo-Anne Simon, and Pat Fahey, we celebrate the 100 Foot Repeal Bill becoming law and restoration of critical funding towards Empower+.
Sun Day Recap: NYCP Brings Solar Workshop to UU Catskills
One highlight of our free community workshops was on Sun Day last year, Melissa Iachetta, New Yorkers for Clean Power, with the assistance of Melissa Olivar, Association for Energy Affordability, Inc. brought Plug In the Sun and other solar activities to the Unitarian Universalist Catskills Junior Climate Action Team.
The Junior Climate Action Team meets once monthly at the UU Catskills congregation, and is aimed at ages 4 to 11 years old. The meetings are held on Sunday mornings while UU services are in session. The club aims to empower children with environmental solutions and lessons in good stewardship.
NYCP held our interactive solar power experiment workshop called Plug In the Sun (Relay Education link) for older kids in the group, teaching them about how angles, colors, and heat can affect the energy output of a solar panel. We also brought solar beads, which are translucent indoors but turn colors when they are exposed to sunlight, and cyanotype paper crafts.
Coordinator of the Junior Climate Action Team, Lisa Garay said,
“The kids I spoke to (including my own who excitedly wore her solar necklace to school today) said they really enjoyed the programming you offered. Planting these seeds of strong environmental stewardship in the next generation is one of the best strategies we have in turning our ecological crisis around. We are all grateful for your work here!”
You can bring one of our workshops to your community for folks of any age. Click here to check out our sign-up form for the different educational events we conduct.
This year, we welcomed two new members to our team:
Jen Rand, Building Decarbonization Organizer: Jen has amplified NYCPs presence as she’s organized events across the state, bringing advocates, legislators, and community members together. They have been instrumental in organizing our most successful mobilizations, press events, public hearings and excels at amplifying diverse voices that demonstrate the need for climate justice forward policies in New York State.
Thomas Wright, Workforce Programs Advisor: Thomas has advanced our workforce development efforts across the board. He’s connected students, employers and community members to workforce training programs across the state, amplified new training programs, and attended job fairs, panels, and public hearings from upstate to downstate.
