For a cleaner, greener community
Got questions? Call us! 315-313-5050

For Clean Energy Businesses

Discover how you can grow and adapt your business by providing in-demand energy efficiency upgrades and clean energy technology for customers. NYSERDA offers a variety of funding opportunities to help contractors and installers hire new employees, train current employees, and diversify business models.

Fill out this contact form to learn more and become a Participating Clean Energy Business!

1. Funding to Hire and Train New Employees

Receive new hire and clean energy training funding to increase your organizational capacity, reduce the financial risk of bringing in new talent, and broaden the candidate pool to include individuals with valuable transferable skills but less direct experience. Programs are available to fund new hire salaries, provide training support during onboarding, pay wages for clean energy internships, and support paid fellowships for individuals from historically underserved communities. These programs can bring fresh thinking and new innovations to your team and grow your business.

Learn more about hiring and training new employees 

2. Funding to Train Current Employees

Receive funding to develop or offer technical training and education opportunities to ensure your staff have the skills, experience, and qualifications needed for New York’s growing clean energy economy. Investing in your staff can inspire new innovations and revenue streams, improve staff morale and retention rates, and unlock previously unattainable levels of quality and productivity. Training your employees today can help adapt and futureproof your business.

Learn more about training current employees 

3. Support to Grow Your Business Model

NYSERDA helps contractors grow their businesses through cost-share incentives to fund advertising campaigns, special promotions, and events related to heat pumps and energy efficiency upgrades. HVAC and weatherization contractors can futureproof and diversify their business model by including heat pump installations and energy efficiency projects in their service offerings.

Learn more about funding for advertising and training

Program Opportunities

On-the-Job Training Program (PON 3982)

NYSERDA’s On-the-Job Training for Energy Efficiency & Clean Technology program reimburses businesses for up to 75% of a new hire’s wages for their first 16-24 weeks of employment and provides assistance with training plans. Let your prospective employer know that these resources are available to them to help with your hiring and onboarding process. 

Learn more about On-the-Job Training Program

NYS Clean Energy Internships (PON 4000)

Helps prepare the next generation of clean energy professionals by funding internships for students and recent graduates at clean energy businesses. New York-based businesses and organizations that operate in the energy efficiency, clean energy technology, and renewable energy sectors are encouraged to apply to become an approved business and start welcoming the next generation of clean energy professionals to their teams.

Learn more about Internships

Climate Justice Fellowship (PON 4772)

Funds and provides professional development training/mentoring for year-long, full-time fellowships, for individuals from priority populations, to work within organizations and businesses that advance climate justice and clean energy priorities for disadvantaged communities. It is anticipated that fellows will work with community-based organizations, universities, municipalities, climate tech innovators/start-ups and clean energy businesses.

Learn more about Fellowships

Training New or Current Employees

In partnership with National Grid, NYSERDA is supporting training and BPI certification to eligible businesses and individuals with addresses in the National Grid service area. These training courses and certifications will help distinguish your business from competitors and equip your employees with the knowledge and skills to succeed.

Provides funding for businesses to work with training providers to develop and offer technical training opportunities, relevant education, hands-on experiences, paid internships, apprenticeships, full-time jobs, or advanced formal training opportunities. This solicitation aims to ensure that new and current employees, apprentices, journeypersons, and students have the skills, experiences, and qualifications they need to participate in New York’s growing clean energy economy.

Provides funding for training initiatives that advance technical skills and prepare workers for jobs in New York’s growing offshore wind industry.

Provides funding to manufacturers and distributors of cold climate air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps to support sales, design, and/or installation training. 

Additional Opportunities & Resources for Businesses

NYSERDA’s Partner Connector facilitates connections among training providers, employers, community partners, and other organizations that are interested in forming partnerships and collaborating within our workforce development and training programs.

Lists training opportunities on a variety of clean energy topics available online at no cost according to category, training provider, and skill level.

Discover opportunities and benefits of diversifying business models with clean energy products and service offerings.

Access support to help hire new employees, train current employees, and diversify your business model with clean energy technologies and services.

Videos