New York State has allocated more than $23 million to 15 projects focused on reducing emissions from buildings and industrial operations, advancing climate action and regional economic development across the state. The funding was announced by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as part of the 2025 Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.

The capital is distributed through two NYSERDA programmes: the Building Cleaner Communities Competition, which received over $17 million for 13 projects, and the Commercial and Industrial Carbon Challenge, which supplied about $5 million for two projects. Six of the selected initiatives are located in disadvantaged communities, in line with New York’s Climate Justice Working Group criteria.

Projects funded under the Building Cleaner Communities Competition include deep retrofits and new construction aimed at electrification, energy efficiency, on-site clean energy generation and carbon neutrality. Examples range from electrifying large commercial buildings and transforming historic structures into net-zero or all-electric facilities, to residential developments with EV charging and shared amenities.

Under the Commercial and Industrial Carbon Challenge, awards support emissions reduction initiatives at healthcare facilities in the Finger Lakes and industrial process and wastewater upgrades in the Capital Region.

State officials emphasised that these investments not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also promote job creation, infrastructure modernisation, and regional economic resilience. Since the programmes’ inception in 2018, NYSERDA’s efforts have helped mobilise nearly $1.3 billion in investment and enabled emissions reductions equivalent to removing over 1 million cars from the road per year.