With Earth Day approaching, LinkNYC is launching plans to achieve net zero electric emissions in 2023 by purchasing renewable energy credits (RECS).
The announcement comes in conjunction with Intersection, which operates the sales, marketing and maintenance of the LinkNYC program. Intersection will support this green initiative through extensive programming and sales efforts.
The RECS will be purchased through Karbone, an award-winning financial service platform for renewable energy and decarbonization markets.
“At LinkNYC, our mission is to connect communities and help New Yorkers overcome intractable challenges like the digital divide. Many of the neighborhoods that face disparities in internet access are also heavily impacted by climate change — and this announcement reflects our continued commitment to be a good neighbor,” said Nick Colvin CEO of LinkNYC. “By purchasing renewable energy credits, we are not only offsetting the climate impact of our power consumption and reducing our carbon footprint but making clear our belief that every company has a responsibility to help build a more sustainable future.”
“Karbone is thrilled to have played an integral role in helping LinkNYC achieve its net zero goals, as both its REC broker and Green-e REC certifier,” said Jonathan Burnston, Managing Director at Karbone. “We look forward to continuing to support LinkNYC in their endeavor to expand 5G service across the city in a sustainable way.”
LinkNYC began to support New York City’s aggressive 80 x 50 greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals in 2020 when it partnered with Catamaran Renewables to finance and deploy 7.5 megawatts of fuel cell distributed energy resources (DERs) in Staten Island. These systems supply over 62,000 megawatt-hours of electricity to the electrical grid each year and emit on average 30% less CO2 than other baseload energy sources like natural gas. The project not only makes the power grid in southern Staten Island more reliable and resilient but also generates energy cost savings for subscribers, including CityBridge. LinkNYC has also partnered with Earth Day Initiative to display environmental messaging on kiosks across New York City in honor of Earth Month.
In 2023, LinkNYC will buy at least 18,000 CRS Listed Green-E Certified Wind credits from Oklahoma’s Wildhorse Mountain Wind Facility, which provides low-cost energy and RECs through a 20 year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC). LinkNYC’s ongoing work with Karbone and the Wildhorse Mountain Wind Facility highlights the company’s efforts to reduce its footprint as well as contribute to a more sustainable future.
The purchase of the RECS allows LinkNYC to achieve its net zero emissions goal this year. ZenFi Networks, a BAI Communications company and the technology partner of CityBridge in LinkNYC’s deployment, has also committed to connecting communities in a sustainable way through resilient network infrastructure and responsible climate action, as stated in its ESG framework.
