Larry Williamson, a representative of Halco based in Phelps, recently spoke to Victor-Farmington Rotary Club about energy usage and conservation.
Halco was founded in 1984, and it provides plumbing, heating, cooling, home energy performance and renewable energy products and services to residents in upstate New York. Williamson discussed Halco’s services and provided information on the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, a public entity that offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise and funding to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
NYSERDA was created as a public benefit corporation in 1975. It was initially concerned with reducing the state’s petroleum consumption; there was a concern about energy’s impact on the environment during this era. The New York State Energy Office handled energy policy analysis and energy efficiency audits. Funding was derived primarily from federal grants and money distributed via the Petroleum Overcharge Restitution Fund. That office was closed in 1995, and NYSERDA took on critical energy efficiency, energy assessments, energy planning and policy analysis functions.
The New York State Public Service Commission approved the ratepayer-supported System Benefits Charge program in 1996 and designated NYSERDA as the program’s administrator. SBC is collected by investor-owned utilities from gas and electric customers in the state and funds the majority of NYSERDA’s programs. The surcharge on monthly electric gas and electric bills is approximately $6-$9 per customer.
One of the uses for the fund is a program that allows homeowners to request a no-cost audit of their home to determine how the residence can become more energy efficient. Halco is an approved contractor for this program. Williamson explained the process to initiate a request to Victor-Farmington Rotary Club and provided a general background of what takes place when they do an energy audit. He also distributed applications that initiate the process.
The presentation included a review on current solar energy issues and developments. Williamson then answered questions from Rotarians on a variety of energy issues, including funding of the homeowners energy audit program.
