NEWS
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Making and Saving Energy the Clean, Green Way to be Highlighted by NYPA at Syracuse State Fair, Aug. 24-Sept. 4 Contact: August 21, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WHITE PLAINS—What do clean and green and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) have in common? Lots—when it comes to the energy efficiency and advanced energy technology work NYPA is doing across the state, which will be highlighted at The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse, from August 24 through Labor Day, Sept 4. “People who enjoy the State Fair tradition of learning about the latest trends will want to see the Power Authority exhibit featuring NYPA’s significant commitments to new clean energy technologies such as fuel cells, solar power and alternative-fueled vehicles,” said Timothy S. Carey, NYPA president and chief executive officer. “The Power Authority has a long-standing commitment to clean energy, as the builder and operator of the Empire State’s largest hydropower facilities, including ones on the St. Lawrence and Niagara Rivers. These projects, which account for most of the state’s renewable power, have served as the springboard for many green initiatives we’ve invested in under Governor Pataki for environmentally-conscious solutions to New York’s growing energy demand, greater fuel diversity, and reduced dependence on foreign oil.” NYPA’s exhibit focuses on three closely-related themes: “Toward A Sustainable Future,” “New Energy Solutions” and “Building Community Partnerships. “Toward A Sustainable Future,” the centerpiece and major theme of the display, will emphasize how renewable resources and new, clean energy technologies will help preserve the planet. As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, Carey noted, NYPA is stepping up its practices for use of environmentally-compatible materials, such as green cleaning products, nontoxic paints, recycled carpet and low-mercury light bulbs. A wide range of these sustainable products, which have both home and business applications, will be displayed by NYPA at the Fair. What you drive can also help preserve the planet and the Power Authority has one of the largest clean transportation programs in North America, centering on electric, hybrid-electric and, in the near future, plug-in hybrid vehicles. Learn about the advantages of the 2006 Toyota Prius, a hybrid electric, which will be displayed by NYPA, courtesy of Romano Toyota Scion in Syracuse. The Power Authority has put in service over 800 clean vehicles in its own and its customer fleets. Energy efficiency and clean energy services are playing a growing role in NYPA’s activities. One current example: Utica’s Union Station, a recent beneficiary of an energy efficiency upgrade, is one of the nearly 1,500 energy-efficiency and clean energy projects NYPA has undertaken for public facilities throughout the state. As the statewide public power utility, NYPA has invested nearly $1 billion in such initiatives, which have lowered the annual electric bills of those tax-supported facilities by $93 million and peak electricity use by the equivalent of 156,000 homes. “New Energy Solutions,” the focus of another section of the NYPA display, will highlight the Power Authority’s involvement with fuel cells, including a 250-kilowatt unit at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse—the first college in New York to use this technology. Dedicated earlier this year, it is supplying up to 17 percent of the campus’s electricity, reducing emissions, and providing residual heat for hot water and heating on campus. Fuel cells use a chemical process, instead of combustion, to generate electricity. Also on display in this area will be examples and scale models of new energy technologies including a solar panel, a fuel cell and an emission control device—which NYPA has helped outfit on school buses. To learn more about how NYPA serves Central New York, a free brochure is available for Fair visitors at the NYPA booth. From over 100 energy efficiency projects at public facilities in Central New York and supplying lower-cost power to protect about 40,000 regional jobs to sponsoring special events like the Utica Boilermaker Race and the Oneida County Air Show and donating computers to local schools, NYPA is helping to benefit Central New York in a variety of ways. Other new energy solutions to be presented at the Fair include a hydropower for hydrogen initiative that NYPA and the Electric Power Research Institute of Palo Alto, CA, are studying for the possibility of fueling hydrogen-powered vehicles at the Niagara Falls State Park. Also, NYPA has begun installation of an innovative battery energy storage system at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Bus subsidiary in Garden City to help reduce energy and maintenance costs associated with the use of some 220 compressed natural gas buses. Information on these projects and much more will be available at the Fair. “Building Community Partnerships,” the third facet of the NYPA exhibit, will feature information on the many energy efficiency projects NYPA has implemented working with communities across New York. In Buffalo, for example, NYPA helped remove seven coal-burning furnaces in public schools and replaced them with cleaner fueled boilers and also installed and financed over 1,600 new energy efficient refrigerators in public housing units. Getting the younger generation involved and informed on energy trends, through its Visitors Centers in Lewiston, Massena and the Catskills, is another way NYPA is involved in the community by presenting hands-on exhibits and programs about electricity that make learning fun for families and school groups. The NYPA display will occupy close to 300 square feet at the Fair’s Verizon Center of Progress Building. It is part of a 900 square foot display area under the banner, “Powerful Partners Working for New York,” shared with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC). This year at the Fair, NYSERDA will have an ENERGY STAR Clothes Washer and an Electric Dryer on display, which will be raffled off in our state fair sweepstakes. NYSERDA's booth will be decorated with LED lights to promote an energy efficient option for holiday lighting. NYSERDA staff will have information on energy efficient products and programs to save energy and money at home. In addition, NYSERDA will provide information, displays, and materials for the public at the 2006 New York State Fair about programs it offers to help New Yorkers improve energy efficiency and lower energy costs both at home and in the workplace. Information concerning renewable energy such as solar and wind; materials relating to alternative-fuel vehicle programs; information about residential programs, including low-income and multi-family programs; and energy-saving options for business owners and building managers will be available. "The New York State Fair is the premier outreach and education venue for the Commission and this year marks the 23rd appearance of our agency at this event," noted New York State Public Service Commission Chairman William M. Flynn. "We are pleased to be partnering again this year with the New York State Research and Development Authority and the New York Power Authority in reaching out to close to a million fairgoers on topical energy issues and programs." As part of the "Powerful Partners" exhibit at the State Fair, residential and business customers can speak directly with staff of the Commission about utility issues, competitive energy suppliers, green power, using energy wisely, renewable energy resources, economic development rates, and telecommunications competition. About NYPA: ■ NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. ■ NYPA is a leader in promoting energy-efficiency, new energy technologies and electric transportation initiatives. ■ It is the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility, with 18 generating facilities in various parts of the state and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. |
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