Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, D-N.Y., says that $13.5 million is now available through the NY-Sun initiative for projects aimed at reducing the overall cost of installing photovoltaic systems and streamlining the inspection and permitting process for local officials.
‘These efforts to reduce installation costs and streamline PV permitting processes, together with our commitment to extend annual funding under NY-Sun to 2023, will provide the industry with long-term certainty and attract significant private investment,’ Cuomo says.
Of the $13.5 million now available, $10 million will support efforts to lower the overall cost of non-module PV systems, and $3.5 million will fund a two-year statewide effort to educate local officials and first responders.
The $10 million, which is being equally funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York Power Authority, will focus on projects that reduce PV balance-of-system (BOS) costs. BOS costs, including system installation costs, can account for more than half of total system costs.
The program will seek to maximize private leverage and demonstrate business models that could be adopted at scale by the marketplace, Cuomo's office explains. In addition, this program will advance streamlining the procedures for permitting and interconnection to reduce BOS costs. Projects will be selected on a competitive basis.
Eligible projects under this offering will include the following:
– Non-hardware projects that reduce the cost of PV systems by addressing and reducing soft costs, such as business costs, installation costs, and permitting and inspection costs;
– Projects developing hardware that will lead to lower overall installed costs of PV systems and successful commercialization of products manufactured in New York; and
– Installation of PV systems to demonstrate new products or concepts in innovative applications.
More information about the funding is available here.
In addition to the BOS project funding, NYSERDA is offering $3.5 million to support education and training on PV for local officials who might have a role in the permitting, inspection or approval of a PV system and first responders who might encounter PV systems while fighting fires. More information about this program is available here.
