P-12 Schools: Green and Clean Energy Solutions

The P-12 Schools: Green and Clean Energy Solutions Program provides funding for eligible Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 (P-12) schools to reduce school energy use and assist in the conversion to carbon free fuels.

The Program provides cost-sharing for Energy Studies to reduce energy use, cost-sharing for Clean Heating and Cooling and Net Zero Design, and Direct Incentives for eligible energy load reduction projects.

How It Works

Energy Studies

Cost-sharing for energy studies is available to investigate opportunities to reduce energy use and/or evaluate potential conversion to carbon free fuels. A cost share of up to 75% of the study cost is available.

Schools categorized as High-Need may receive up to 100% cost-sharing of eligible study costs. Cost-sharing is capped at $250,000 per study application.

Schools may work with their own consultant or choose from NYSERDA’s FlexTech Consultant list. See the Green and Clean Energy Solutions program Opportunity Notice (PON 4157) for complete participation and eligibility details. See the Green and Clean Energy Solutions program Opportunity Notice (PON 4157) for complete participation and eligibility details. 

Clean Heating and Cooling and Net Zero Design

Cost-sharing is available for Clean Heating and Cooling design and Net Zero design projects.

Clean Heating and Cooling systems most commonly refer to geothermal, air source heat pumps, and variable refrigerant flow systems, although additional systems that do not use fossil fuels may be eligible. Eligible Net Zero design projects include an evaluation of a 20% reduction in energy use over current New York State Energy Code and an evaluation of the design project’s impact against the school’s Net Zero energy potential. Cost-sharing is also available for Net Zero design charettes.

Schools categorized as High-Need may receive up to 100% cost-sharing of eligible design costs. Cost-sharing is capped at $250,000 per design application.

Schools may work with their own consultant with demonstrated qualifications or choose from NYSERDA’s FlexTech Consultant list. See the P-12 Schools: Green and Clean Energy Solutions Program Opportunity Notice for details on how to apply for design cost-sharing and for consultant requirements. 

Direct Incentives

Direct incentives are available for the installation of eligible energy load reduction projects. A list of Prequalified Direct Incentives [PDF] is available. For projects with measures not included in the pre-qualified measure list, a custom incentive may be available. Projects eligible for existing investor-owned utility incentives are ineligible for incentives. See the Green and Clean Energy Solutions program Opportunity Notice (PON 4157) for complete participation and eligibility details. 

Complimentary Services

Schools are eligible to receive two complimentary services including free Benchmarking and free Clean Heating and Cooling Screenings. Benchmarking serves as a tool to measure and track the impact of financial investments against energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and will be offered through P-12 Schools Initiative Benchmarking Program (PON 3908).

Who Can Apply

Schools or authorized representatives may apply to the program. Eligible project sites include publicly or privately-owned P-12 schools in New York State that pay into the System Benefits Charge (SBC) on their electric utility bill. All space within the buildings must be solely occupied by P-12 students and staff.

How to Apply

View the Program Opportunity Notice (PON 4157) for full eligibility, application, consultant, and deliverables requirements and for an overview of the participation timeline.

Schools or authorized representatives may submit completed application packages to P12Schools@nyserda.ny.gov. Schools may contact a P-12 Schools Initiative Benchmarking Consultant to help prepare a Green and Clean Energy Solutions application on their behalf. An application can be one or multiple components and may cover a single building or multiple buildings under a single school district.

Contact

Email program questions to P12Schools@nyserda.ny.gov

Energy consultants, engineering companies, energy service companies (ESCOs), and other eligible firms interested in becoming a NYSERDA FlexTech Consultant should refer to RFP 3628.

For more information on P-12 programs, see the P-12 Schools Initiative homepage.