Green New York initiatives touted at first City & State Trailblazers in Clean Energy event

Energy professionals and policy makers gathered for City and State’s inaugural 2024 Trailblazers in Clean Energy awards ceremony Wednesday, celebrating pioneers helping New York achieve its ambitious climate goals. 

The event held at HK Hall on Manhattan’s West Side recognized innovators and groundbreakers from the state’s clean energy sector. Honorees were recognized for developing revolutionary clean energy tech and advocating for transformative policies that are helping New York combat climate change. Honorees were profiled both online and in the latest issue of City & State New York. 

In keynote remarks at the event, Andrew Kessler, president of NY Green Bank, a division of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, described the agency’s top priorities. 

“Our mission is to work in collaboration with the private sector, to transform financing markets, in ways that accelerate clean energy investments, combat climate change, and equitably deliver both economic and environmental benefits to all New Yorkers,” Kessler told attendees. “We all know that public dollars alone are not going to fund the energy transition. Since our inception we've committed over $2.3 billion in capital in New York state and that's led to the development of over $7 billion in clean energy projects in our state, resulting in almost 45 million metric tons of emission reductions.”

Also making a keynote speech, New York City Council Member Sandy Nurse, who sits on the Committee on Environmental Protection, Resiliency and Waterfronts, brought attention to upcoming clean energy projects in East New York, which lies within Council District 37, which she represents.

“It’s nearly a billion dollars that is currently being invested in Broadway Junction to make it a truly modern and accessible transit hub,” she said. “This will include brand new elevators, new plazas and a long overdue upgrade to the Long Island Railroad East New York station.”

“The immediate area will also be home to the future Interborough Express Atlantic Avenue stop,” she explained. “And this hub directly connects to the East New York (Industrial Business Zone), where we are working with community leaders and grassroots advocates to bring to life a green industrial zone.” 

“We want East New York to be a hub for the future green economy,” she added. “One that is sustainable and in balance with the needs for good green jobs, food security, workers’ rights and affordable housing.”

Nurse, also an honoree, noted the impact of investing in solar power, especially in public buildings. “I believe New York City can lead the way by prioritizing solar energy installations on city owned buildings and other public properties. Last month, in partnership with labor unions and environmental justice advocates, I introduced a bill mandating solar energy installations on city owned buildings and public properties with a target of 150 megawatts by 2030,” Nurse told attendees. 

According to Nurse, funding from the Inflation Reduction Act can extend renewable energy incentives to municipal governments, allowing energy savings from solar installations to be reinvested into communities. With additional funding, energy retrofits and resourcing decarbonization can lead to green, carbon-free schools championed by environmental justice organizations such as Climate Jobs New York and the Climate Works for All Coalition. 

Nurse also touched on her role as chair of the Criminal Justice Committee, and spoke of the Renewable Rikers Plan, a proposal to convert Rikers Island from a jail into a support for green infrastructure. 

“Transition is a challenge. It's expensive. But more importantly, it's an opportunity for healthier communities,” she said. “I believe that Renewable Rikers will be a hub for energy production and storage, wastewater treatment and composting.”

Nurse praised the award recipients, adding that “it's going to take everyone across various sectors to truly make the transition.” 

Awards were presented by Richard Kassel, partner at AJW, a strategic advisory firm and event sponsor. Kassel noted AJW’s goals to decarbonize transportation. He said that with NY Green Bank’s capital, AJW sees the opportunity to close funding gaps, create precedents in the marketplace and crowd in the private sector towards clean energy projects. 

“That means electrify everything that we can, and decarbonize with low carbon fuels. We want to do it in a way that finally reverses decades of disproportionate burdens that are felt by low-income communities and communities of color around the city and state,” Kassel said. “And we want to do it in a way that supports innovation, creates new businesses, good permanent well-paying jobs and communities across the state.”

As for making these sustainable futures a reality, Kassel pointed to the expertise in the room. 

“Everyone in this room is part of all those solutions. Everybody in this room is going to be key to whether or not we succeed in our goals,” he told attendees. “New York has before us figured out how to get lead out of gasoline, so we're going to figure out how to solve the climate crisis.”