The New York State government is investing $7.5 million towards the installation of smart LED streetlights. The $7.5 million in funding is available for municipalities to collaborate with the New York Power Authority to install energy efficient and smart LED streetlights.
The funding is provided by the Governor. M. Cuomo’s Smart Street Lighting NY programme in which the state has set a target to install 500,000 smart streetlights by 2025. A total of $5 million will be set aside for municipalities, who will be eligible to apply for up to $500,000 in funding. A total of $2.5 million will be put aside for the largest cities outside of New York City—Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers.
The loans granted will be repaid by the cities with the energy savings achieved from the use of the smart streetlights. The City of Syracuse is going to be the first large municipality in New York to test the revolutionary new streetlight technologies.
The pilot will include the installation of equipment that can expand Wi-Fi, 4G and 5G internet connection capabilities on its streetlights, and install other digital enhancements to city-wide services.
The streetlight upgrades support the Reforming the Energy Vision goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 from 1990 levels.
