Governor Kathy Hochul announced the second instalment of the Sustainable Future Program, a nearly $1 billion investment aimed at reducing home heating costs, lowering building emissions and expanding renewable energy infrastructure across New York.
The funding is a central component of the Governor’s Clean, Highly Affordable, Reliable, Grid Expansion, or CHARGE, agenda. As part of this framework, the state is also launching the Energy Infrastructure Development Plan to create a blueprint for grid modernization in response to rising energy demands from electrification, manufacturing and artificial intelligence.
The Sustainable Future Program allocates $500 million toward building decarbonization and energy savings. This includes $150 million for the EmPower+ program to provide no-cost energy assessments and heat pump installations for low- and moderate-income residents, and $150 million for affordable green housing transitions. Additionally, $50 million is designated for the Clean Green Schools Program to improve indoor air quality and reduce emissions in public schools, while $150 million will fund utility-scale thermal energy networks.
Another $300 million is dedicated to expanding affordable renewable energy, with $200 million for the NY-Sun program to increase solar incentives for homes and businesses and $100 million for the New York Power Authority to finance public renewable projects.
The initiative also provides funding for environmental and agricultural resiliency. This includes $25 million for municipal recycling and food waste reduction, $25 million for methane-reduction technology and soil health on farms, $12.5 million for urban forestry, and $25 million for the acquisition and repair of state parks and public lands.
The Energy Infrastructure Development Plan will direct the State Energy Planning Board to coordinate utility-scale generation and transmission while leveraging distributed solar and energy storage. An interim plan is expected in 2027, with a final comprehensive plan due by December 2029.
The broader CHARGE agenda also includes a $1 billion energy rebate program for approximately 8 million residents, a Ratepayer Protection Plan to limit utility costs, and a statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers to protect the energy grid. The state is also pursuing an 8.4GW nuclear power initiative and continuing a multi-billion dollar transmission buildout to modernize the aging grid.
