In an attempt to decarbonize buildings and quadruple heat pump installations by 2030, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $200 million EmPower+ home retrofits program to reduce energy costs for low-income New Yorkers.
Governor Hochul is a member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 25 governors representing approximately 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the U.S. population. The Alliance announced a series of new commitments from its members to eliminate emissions from buildings, including collectively quadrupling heat pump installations by the end of the decade.
As part of the Alliance’s new heat pump target, members agreed to collectively reach 20 million heat pump installations across the coalition by 2030, with the aim of ensuring at least 40 percent of benefits flow to disadvantaged communities. These installations will advance progress toward Alliance members’ goal of decarbonizing buildings, including collectively achieving zero-emission new construction as soon as practicable and accelerating efforts to eliminate emissions from existing buildings at a pace consistent with emissions targets under the Paris Agreement. This agreement comes as buildings account for 32 percent of all emissions in New York State.
To further advance and accelerate building decarbonization efforts, New York State made additional commitments with U.S. Climate Alliance members, including:
- Exploring the adoption of zero-emission standards for space and water heating equipment.
- Exploring the adoption of Building Performance Standards like those enacted in Colorado, Maryland, Oregon, and Washington.
- Exploring the development of clean heat standards.
- Working to phase out fossil fuel heating and cooling in new construction by 2027.
- Supporting the development and adoption of advanced energy-efficient building codes that maximize opportunities for efficient electrification and support solar and electric vehicle readiness.
- Taking actions to align buildings sector utility resource planning and procurement policies with state climate goals.
Governor Hochul also announced a $200 million EmPower+ home retrofits program to reduce energy costs for low-income New Yorkers. This statewide program, funded in the Enacted FY2024 State Budget, will help approximately 20,000 low-income families improve their home with energy efficiency upgrades that will make their home more comfortable while improving their air quality and overall health.
