CEC Over the Years
An Analysis of NYSERDA's Clean Energy Communities Program's Impact in the Mid-Hudson Region
The NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities (CEC) Program provides support to local governments for implementing projects that save energy and cut costs. Communities can earn no-match grants for participating in the Program and completing High-Impact Actions (HIAs). NYSERDA has offered three funding rounds: Round 1 (2016-2020), Leadership Round (2021-2023), and Round 3.0 (2024). In each round, local governments are awarded grants to complete clean energy projects: building energy efficiency upgrades, heat pumps, street lighting, electric vehicles and charging stations, electric landscaping equipment, solar arrays, and other decarbonization projects. Regional CEC Coordinators offer technical assistance to communities and equip them with the tools and resources necessary to accomplish actions. Over time, the Program garnered increased interest and participation, particularly in the Mid-Hudson Region. HVRC has assisted 113 municipalities on CEC-related actions, of which 93 have received grants from the Program. Over $23 million has been awarded to this Region during the three-round period.
This webpage highlights some of the projects that were completed thanks to the NYSERDA CEC Program funding and provides an analysis of how municipalities allocated the grants between 2016 and 2025.
For project details, please click on the "i" icon.
NYSERDA CEC Grant Awards in the Mid-Hudson
There was a continual increase in the number of municipalities participating in the NYSERDA CEC Program over the three rounds.
A snapshot of the total NYSERDA CEC grant funding awarded to the Mid-Hudson Region. Looking at a round-wise distribution graph, the bulk of the funding came during Round 3.0 (80.9%). This coincides with the Program’s highest period of participation.
The three types of campaigns that communities could complete during Round 3.0 were Electric Vehicles (EVs), Community Solar, and Clean Heating & Cooling. Clean Heating & Cooling Campaigns were the most popular in the Region.
By completing these campaigns, the Region earned more than $1.3 million in funding, with Clean Heating & Cooling making up nearly half of this amount.
Municipalities have spent their NYSERDA CEC grants on a wide range of clean energy projects. The infographic to the right shows the nine most common types of projects that were funded. Building Energy Upgrades, which includes converting to LED lights, improving the building envelope, and retrofitting HVAC systems or switching to heat pumps, have been the most popular.
The stacked bar chart (below) shows a breakdown of projects by funding Round.
These three charts (left) show the five most popular clean energy project types in each Round. It is interesting to note that lighting, which refers to the conversion of streetlights to LED, was the most popular project in CEC Round 1, but it does not appear in the top five in the following rounds. As LED lighting has become more commonplace and accepted, municipalities have adopted this technology on their own, particularly since it typical has such strong return on investment.
Similarly, heat pumps, which are among the most popular project types in the Leadership and CEC 3.0 rounds, were not popular during CEC Round 1. In fact, there were zero heat pump projects funded during the first round of the Program! The charts show the rising popularity of heat pump installations in the Mid-Hudson Region, due to the growing prominence of the technology as well as the concerted municipal efforts in promoting heat pumps through their community campaigns.
Case Studies
HVRC is subcontracted to provide CEC Coordinator Services for NYSERDA in the Mid-Hudson Region through the Capital District Regional Planning Commission.