Schumer brought top executives from local companies together last December to form task force to market the Capital Region's burgeoning alternative energy industry

Funds will be used to launch a web site to help promote the group, and projects aimed at addressing energy distribution and reliability through new technologies

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that he has secured $50,000 in federal funds for New Energy New York as part of the Labor-Health-Human Services Appropriations component of the Omnibus bill passed by the Senate today. Schumer said that the money will be used to create a state-of-the-art web site that will promote the Capital Region's alternative energy industry, and fund research and projects aimed at maximizing energy distribution and reliability.

"Energy can do for the Capital Region what microchips did for Silicon Valley," Schumer said. "Companies in this region are on the forefront of new energy technologies, and as the US moves away from foreign energy dependence, there is a real opportunity for local businesses. In order to regain our energy independence, we have two options: obtain our oil from elsewhere or look for alternative ways to meet our nation's growing energy needs. As I have said time and again, we must do both. The Capital Region and its cluster of alternative energy companies is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this need, and New Energy New York is spearheading that effort."

Schumer unveiled the new consortium of Capital Region companies that market the region's burgeoning alternative and renewable energy industry in December, assembling top executives from the Capital Region's leading alternative energy companies to form what is now known as "New Energy New York." The Capital Region is home to more than 20 high-tech alternative energy companies, and the area is often informally acknowledged as a leader in developing alternative sources of fuel and energy in America. But previously, the marketing efforts of several individual companies have not matched the potential that a combined and coordinated effort could yield for the region.

Dr. Pradeep Haldar, Director of Energy and Environmental Technologies at Albany NanoTech (University of Albany), spearheads the New Energy New York coalition. The group has met over the course of the year with the aim to include as many local energy companies and interested parties as possible in the discussions. Among the area organizations included in the New Energy New York consortium are: Roger Sailiant, CEO, Plug Power; Bill Acker, CEO, MTI - Micro Fuel Cells; Dr. Sanjay Correa, Global Technology Leader for Energy Technologies, GE Global Research; Dave Bobrek, President, Blasch Precision Ceramics; Philip Pellegrino, President of SuperPower; James Warren, COO, EYP Mission Critical Facilities, Inc.

Schumer said that the new federal funds will be used to create a top-of-the-line web site that will promote the Capital Region's alternative energy industry and the "New Energy New York" consortium, and to underwrite new projects aimed at maximizing energy reliability and enhancing distribution. Schumer visited the Capital Region in December to formally launch these projects.

The funding was included in the Omnibus conference report passed by the House and Senate. The report now awaits the President's signature.

###