By Hayleigh Gowans
Staff Writer
The village of Minoa recently became one of the first villages in New York to be named a “Clean Energy Community” by the state, which allows it to apply for a $100,000 New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) grant to go toward a clean energy project.
“I’m really proud of the whole village staff in their work in making Minoa a state-wide leader in green technology,” said Mayor Bill Brazill.
The Clean Energy Communities program was started to help move state municipalities toward more energy efficient technologies, such as solar power, LED lightings and alternative fuel vehicles. There are a total of 10 “high impact items” municipalities are encouraged to complete to become designated as a Clean Energy Community.
NYSERDA is offering the first two communities in New York that complete four out of the 10 High Impact Items a chance to apply for two $100,000 grants to go toward future clean energy projects.
Now that Minoa has become one of the first two communities to qualify for the grant, the village must submit plans within 30 days for a clean energy project in order to secure the grant.
Brazill said the village will submit plans to replace the aging water pumps, motors and control panels at the wastewater treatment facility to more energy efficient models, and to replace the lighting in the Department of Public Works building with LED lights. The current water pumps are about 20 years old, said Brazill, and the cost of the new water pumps would be about $17,000 each and the village would need to buy four.
If there are any funds left over from the grant, Brazill said they would likely look to put an electric car charging station at the village offices.
“We really want to be able to get ahead of repairs and become more energy efficient and decrease our footprint,” said Brazill.
Of the 10 impact items for the Clean Energy Communities program, Minoa has completed four: Adopting a benchmarking policy that reports the energy use of municipal buildings; deploying alternative fuel vehicles; adopting a unified solar permit; and converting street lights to energy efficient LED lights.
To learn more about the Clean Energy Communities program by NYSERDA, go to nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/Clean-Energy-Communities.
