Localizing Buffalo's Renewable Energy Future

A University at Buffalo-backed plan to create 100 megawatts of new, locally produced solar energy within the next four years is among the winners of Governor Cuomo's Energy to Lead Competition, a clean energy competition for New York colleges and universities. The "Energy to Lead Competition" is part of Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers. The Energy to Lead program is adminstered through NYSERDA as part of the REV Campus Challenge which supports colleges and universities in New York State to impelemtn clean energy projects and principles. 

The Localizing Buffalo’s Renewable Energy Future initiative’s objective is to create 100 megawatts of new solar energy by 2020 that is manufactured in Buffalo, connected by Western New York workers, installed in our city’s urban core and University campuses, and utilized by key regional anchoring institutions including the University at Buffalo  Buffalo State College, Erie Community College, the City of Buffalo Erie County and others.

The project is expected to avoid 82,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, equivalent to taking 17,000 cars off the road. 

The Localizing initiative goals are to: 

• Leverage renewable energy power agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy costs
• Demonstrate how a college or university can partner with its community to transform the local energy ecosystem
• Provide students with valuable experiential learning, research and workforce training opportunities