Assemblyman Anthony J. Brindisi (D-Utica) is encouraging local officials and business owners to consider applying for a share of new funding designed to increase the use of solar power by businesses and manufacturers.

Under the NY-Sun Competitive PV Program, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is providing $107 million for large projects that generate electricity through the use of Photovoltaic, or PV Systems. Under this program, applicants who submit plans for the development of PV systems of 50 kilowatts or more for their businesses or communities can obtain up to $3 mllion per project. Co-funding will be required for all projects, Brindisi said.

Brindisi said applicants with smaller PV projects may want to consider NYSERDA's non-competitive program that provides monthly funding for residential projects up to 7 kilowatts, and up to 50 kilowatts for non-residential projects.

"Businesses and municipalities that are selected to receive these grants will be able to significantly cut power costs through the development of projects to generate clean energy," Brindisi said. "Business owners I talk to often say high utility costs have always affected their bottom line, and many have expressed a willingness to consider environmentally friendly power projects that reduce their cost of doing business, as well as our reliance on the use of fossil fuels."

Brindisi says funding for the NY-Sun Competitive PV Program will be made available in three phases. The first deadline for applicants is November 8th; there will also be due dates in the first and third quarters of 2013.

Information on the NY-Sun Initiative is now available at www.ny-sun.ny.gov or by calling Brindisi's Utica district office at (315) 732-1055.