Programs
Energy Transition
Goal: Get Renewable Energy and Battery Storage Onto the Grid for Affordable, Clean Power - and put it where communities choose.
Much of the world is waking up to the efficiency, economy and elegance of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and hydro – especially when combined with battery storage to maintain stable power supply.
In our communities “not in my backyard” sentiment has its roots in the nature of the system:
The electric grid is not being upgraded in the specific areas where communities can most easily say “yes in my back yard” – like closed landfills and big commercial rooftops. That leads to a bias toward proposing solar in suburbs and rural communities where the greatest environmental tensions arise. But the economics are changing fast due to new software-based approaches to connect solar fields to the grid, creating new possibiltites on sites that could not be built a few years ago.
Typically, renewable energy and battery storage proposals are driven by developers who propose sites and designs, then go through the environmental review process allowing the community to say yes or no. No wonder communities feel that these projects are happening to them rather than reflecting their values.
Sustainable Hudson Valley is building a “YES in my back yard” culture by:
Bringing community and utility planners together to identify viable sites and plan for grid upgrades to make them work;
Engaging community networks in figuring out where they are comfortable with solar, storage and other clean energy systems;
Building understanding and enthusiasm for with community workshops, group purchase discounts, DIY projects, publications and other approaches to accelerating the adoption of rooftop solar, home battery storage, heat pumps, EVs and the spectrum of clean technologies.
Collaborators and allies: Scenic Hudson, Ulster County Dept of Environment, City of Kingston Sustainability Coordinator, Mid-Hudson Energy Transition, Clean Energy Hub, Central Hudson, Municipal Solar Partners, RETI Center.
Circular Economy
Goal: Build markets and infrastructure to make reuse and recycling-based production the new normal.
The waste management system is responsible for 12% of New York’s climate pollution, and that system is designed to make prevention and diversion the exceptions, not the norms. “Circular economy” is an exciting approach to
Sustainable Hudson Valley is leading in the development of a regional partnership to build up repair-, reuse- and recycling-based industries, as well as to stop emissions of climate superpollutants – refrigerants – and to recycle carbon itself through long-term storage methods such as biochar and carbon-negative building materials. We advance these goals by:
Supporting the Repair Café , 72 communities strong, where people bring their “beloved but broken” items to be fixed with the help of an expert who is also their neighbor. We provide training for volunteer fixers; and plan a larger repair skills program in conjunction with the work force development system. We’re part of the leadership group producing the annual national Repair Economy Summit.
Working with Ulster County to develop and implement a Circular Economy Strategic Plan as a model for a regional effort, working first to create new reuse-based industries with building materials and textiles.
Creating a model refrigerant management program for the City of Kingston, now ready to replicate as we provide technical assistance to more municipalities.
Introducing the new and important pathway of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) through long-term storage in soils or building materials, demonstrating important methods such as biochar on farms and in urban areas. We have found funding to apply biochar demonstration plots on nine farms to serve as ambassadors and educators, and will be demonstrating the uses of biochar this year in urban land management such as helping street trees to retain water.
Collaborators and allies: Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency, Circularly PBC, New Yorkers for Cool Refrigerant Management, NY-Carbon, Terraset
Resilient Communities
Goal: Create support systems in every community to respond to emergencies and make our places more livable in the process.
Climate emergencies and system breakdowns are creating widespread stress while the emergency management system has been hamstrung by federal cuts, and that system was not created for the magnitude and complexity of disasters we see today. Overwhelm and limited resources are barriers to the preparation that can save lives and build community. But more and more communities are coming up with breakthrough approaches that combine grassroots and institutional leadership, such as the “resilience hub” model and the Bainbridge Island Prepared Neighborhoods program.
Sustainable Hudson Valley inspires and supports widespread grassroots organization for community-led preparedness, and especially replication of the “Prepared Neighborhoods” initiative, to prepare for emergencies in ways that create significant everyday benefits for community, security and quality of life. We do this by:
Running book discussion groups with Scott James’ Prepared Neighborhoods and facilitate followup planning webinars to help community teams activate;
Create a peer to peer communication network;
Survey local groups’ resource needs and seek out creative ways to improve access such as group purchase programs (e.g. rain barrels, home batteries and balcony solar systems);
Advocate for policy and additional funding programs in support of resilient communities.
Collaborators and allies: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Greater Newburgh Parks Conservancy, Highlands Together We Decide, Ramapo-Catskill Library System, Spring Valley Placemakers.