North Country Clean Energy Hub helps communities transition from fossil fuels – Adirondack Explorer

Report on the North Country Clean Energy Hub’s Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The North Country Clean Energy Hub, funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), is a regional initiative designed to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy for households and businesses. The program’s operations demonstrate a strong alignment with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on energy affordability, environmental health, economic development, and community sustainability. The hub assists residents, particularly those with low to moderate incomes, in navigating complex grant systems to reduce energy costs and environmental impact.

Advancing SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

The core mission of the North Country Clean Energy Hub is the direct implementation of SDG 7. The organization actively works to ensure access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all.

• It provides guidance to residences and businesses to adopt clean energy solutions and improve energy efficiency.
• A primary function is to make clean energy affordable by helping applicants navigate state incentive programs and public funding.
• The hub’s efforts focus on improving daily comfort and affordability, thereby removing financial barriers to sustainable energy adoption.

Addressing Socio-Economic Goals (SDG 1 & SDG 8)

The program yields significant socio-economic benefits, contributing to poverty reduction and economic growth.

• SDG 1 (No Poverty): By helping low to moderate-income households reduce energy bills, the hub increases their disposable income, addressing economic vulnerability and basic needs.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The organization is actively working to address a key barrier to clean energy adoption: a shortage of qualified contractors. By promoting the expansion of the clean energy workforce, the hub supports the creation of green jobs and stimulates local economic growth.

Promoting Environmental and Health Outcomes (SDG 13 & SDG 3)

The transition to clean energy provides measurable benefits for both climate action and public health.

• SDG 13 (Climate Action): The program’s fundamental goal of replacing fossil fuels with clean energy sources is a direct measure to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): By moving away from fossil fuels, the initiative helps reduce air pollution and other environmental hazards, leading to improved health outcomes for communities.

Fostering Sustainable Communities and Partnerships (SDG 11 & SDG 17)

The hub’s operational model is built on collaboration and aims to build resilient community infrastructure, reflecting the principles of SDG 11 and SDG 17.

• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The program enhances community sustainability by upgrading infrastructure, such as heating systems in schools and homes, making them more efficient and resilient.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The hub is a successful example of a multi-stakeholder partnership, comprising a team of organizations to serve seven counties in the North Country. Key partners include:
  • Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA)
  • SUNY Canton
  • Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties

Case Study: Northern Lights School Project

The successful engagement with the Northern Lights School in Saranac Lake exemplifies the hub’s impact on community infrastructure and its alignment with the SDGs.

1. The hub and its partner, ANCA, provided critical guidance for a $500,000 project to install a clean energy heating system.
2. Expert assistance was rendered throughout the state grant application process.
3. The school secured a $332,000 grant for comprehensive energy upgrades.
4. The project involves replacing a fuel oil boiler with a geothermal heat system and installing new insulation, directly advancing SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
5. The new system is in the final stages of installation and is expected to be operational for the upcoming winter, providing a sustainable and cost-effective heating solution for the educational center.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty – The program’s focus on assisting “low to moderate income residents” to reduce energy bills and improve living conditions connects to poverty reduction.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – The core mission of the North Country Clean Energy Hub is to help residences and businesses “transition from fossil fuels to clean energy,” directly addressing this goal.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article mentions a specific initiative to “expand the clean energy workforce” due to a shortage of contractors, which relates to creating jobs and promoting economic growth in a green sector.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – By helping communities move away from fossil fuels, the program works to reduce environmental impact, which is a key component of climate action.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – The article highlights the collaborative nature of the hub, which is “funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority” and consists of a “team of organizations that includes the Adirondack North Country Association, SUNY Canton and the Cornell Cooperative Extensions.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 1: No Poverty
  • Target 1.4: By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services… and new technology. The hub helps “low to moderate income residents” navigate grants to access clean energy technology, which lowers their energy cost burden.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
  • Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. The program focuses on the “affordability of people’s day-to-day lives” by helping them access funding for clean energy to achieve “reduced energy bills.”
  • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The program’s entire purpose is to facilitate a “transition from fossil fuels to clean energy,” exemplified by replacing a “fuel oil boiler with a geothermal heat system.”
  • Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. The article mentions that the hub helps with “energy efficiency and clean energy opportunities,” and the school project included a “$332,000 state grant for insulation” alongside the new heating system.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation. The effort to “expand the clean energy workforce” supports growth in a technologically advanced sector.
• SDG 13: Climate Action
  • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The program is part of a statewide strategy, as it is one of 12 hubs “funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority,” showing a state-level integration of climate goals.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
  • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article explicitly describes such a partnership, involving a state authority (NYSERDA) and a team of organizations (ANCA, SUNY Canton, Cornell Cooperative Extensions) working together.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 7.1 (Affordable Energy):
  • An implied indicator is the amount of reduction in energy bills for households and businesses that participate in the program. The article states that clean energy “can lead to reduced energy bills.”
• For Target 7.2 (Clean Energy Share):
  • A direct indicator is the number of fossil fuel systems replaced with clean energy alternatives. The article provides a specific example: the replacement of one “fuel oil boiler with a geothermal heat system.”
• For Target 7.3 (Energy Efficiency):
  • An indicator is the number of energy efficiency upgrades completed, such as the “insulation” project at the Northern Lights School.
• For Target 8.2 (Workforce Growth):
  • An implied indicator is the change in the number of available contractors in the clean energy sector. The article notes a current barrier is that “there are not many contractors that do this type of work.” Progress would be measured by an increase in this number.
• For Target 17.17 (Partnerships):
  • A financial indicator is the amount of investment leveraged through the partnership. The article mentions the school received a “$332,000 state grant” for a “$500,000 project,” demonstrating the financial value of the partnership’s guidance.

4. Summary of Findings

Source: adirondackexplorer.org