New York State Public Benefit Funds for Energy Efficiency

• Since 1998 most low-income energy efficiency programs are funded through a systems benefits charge (SBC) on electricity bills and administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The SBC program, known as New York Energy $mart SM , provides efficiency programs for all customer classes, including low-income homeowners and renters. The initial SBC program operated through June 2001 with low-income funding averaging $14 million yearly; it was continued and expanded through June 2006 with low-income funding averaging $25 million yearly. In December of 2005, the SBC was extended another five years with increased funding; low-income initiatives will average about $38 million per year.

  About $10 million yearly is budgeted for EmPower New York , an energy efficiency program coordinated with the federal WAP and targeted to low-income households below 60 percent of SMI who are enrolled in utility payment assistance programs.

  Other low-income programs are targeted to households with incomes up to 80 percent of SMI and they also provide outreach, education, marketing, training and financial incentives to households as well as to builders and developers of low-income single- and multi-family housing.
  
  See electric utility restructuring or the Energy $mart website.
  

• Some utilities operate comprehensive low-income affordability programs outside the SBC (see Rate Assistance) , and some of these programs include expenditures for energy efficiency, a breakdown of which is not available.

Note: Leveraging reports do not always give a complete statewide picture. Some resources are not reported through leveraging or are under reported.

LEVERAGING

2006: $11.7 million
2005: $3.7 million
2004: $3.1 million
2003: $2 million
2002: $4.9 million

Page Last Updated: January 30, 2008