Cayuga County Clean Energy Community Program
Cayuga County has a long history of clean energy leadership with the adoption of a Comprehensive Sustainability Energy and Development Plan; the installation of geothermal systems at Memorial City Hall, Auburn Police and Fire Station; and the establishment of the Cayuga County Public Utility Services Agency. In May 2017, The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced that Cayuga County had been designated a Clean Energy Community, recognizing its leadership in reducing energy use, cutting costs and driving clean energy in its communities.
To earn the Clean Energy Community designation, Cayuga County completed the following high-impact clean energy actions:
- Developed a community-based Solarize campaign to reduce solar project costs through joint purchasing, resulting in 33 residential installations totaling over 8 megawatts of clean energy.
- Deployed alternative fuel vehicles in the County’s vehicle fleet.
- Established an Energize NY Finance Program that enables long-term, affordable Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects to assist owners of commercial property investing in clean energy upgrades to their buildings.
- Adopted benchmarking policies, in collaboration with students from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, to track and report energy use at municipal buildings. Data is available here.
Cayuga County Public Utility Service Agency
The residents of Cayuga County created the Cayuga County Public Utility Service Agency (CCPUSA) via public referendum in 2005. The mission of CCPUSA is to create opportunities for residents and business of Cayuga County to access clean, affordable, renewable power. CCPUSA has the authority to act as a Municipal Utility. It can buy power from the open market and sell it at a reduced rate to the enduser. The CCPUSA is governed by a volunteer board whose members are appointed by the Chair of the Cayuga County Legislature. More information is available on the Cayuga County Public Utility Service Agency website.
City of Auburn and Cayuga County Comprehensive Sustainable Energy and Development Plan
The City of Auburn and Cayuga County Comprehensive Sustainable Energy and Development Plan was developed to create a vision for the City of Auburn and Cayuga County to achieve sustainable energy and economic development. The purpose was to provide a comprehensive holistic approach to address the diverse range of issues and policies, which lead to integrated solutions for further sustainable economic, energy, and environmental performance enhancements for the City of Auburn and Cayuga County.
Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board Energy Management Program
Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board has an Energy Management Program which is used to promote the use of energy conservation measures and alternative energy development in Central New York. Visit the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board website for more information.
