New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo called on the Long Island Power Authority to approve a 90 MW offshore wind project 30 miles southeast of Montauk. The project will be the nation’s largest offshore wind farm and will not be visible from Long Island’s beaches.
He also proposed an unprecedented commitment to develop up to 2.4 GW of offshore wind power by 2030, enough power generation for 1.25 million homes and the largest commitment in U.S. history. The projects will be developed out of view from the coast and in close collaboration with local communities and stakeholders. The Offshore Wind Master Plan will outline the path forward for this commitment to offshore wind and will be completed by the end of 2017.
“New York’s unparalleled commitment to offshore wind power will create new, high-paying jobs, reduce our carbon footprint, establish a new, reliable source of energy for millions of New Yorkers, and solidify New York’s status as a national clean energy leader,” Cuomo said. “The Offshore Wind Master Plan will establish a bold strategy to harness this untapped resource in New York and provide a new source of energy to power a brighter, greener future for all.”
Offshore wind is critical to meeting the goal outlined in the governor’s Clean Energy Standard to meet 50 percent of New York’s electricity needs with renewable sources by 2030. As part of this proposal, the governor also calls on state agencies to ensure a 79,000-acre lease area capable of siting about 800 MW of offshore wind off of the Rockaway Peninsula is developed cost-effectively and responsibly to customers.
In addition, Cuomo directed the Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to undertake a comprehensive study to determine the most rapid, cost-effective, and responsible pathway to reach 100 percent renewable energy statewide. New York will engage academic partners to draw upon existing clean-energy research and seek input from other key stakeholders.
Long Island Projects
The Long Island project is the first step toward developing an area that can host up to 1,000 MW of offshore wind power.
In an indication of offshore wind’s growing attractiveness as a power source, the proposed project is the most innovative and least cost way to meet the growing power needs of the South Fork and to provide cleaner energy for Long Island.
In December, the international energy company Statoil Wind US LLC won an auction from the federal government to lease the area for the second project south of the Rockaway Peninsula for wind-energy development.
Cuomo is calling on the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to work with Statoil to ensure the project delivers power cost-effectively and responsibly to customers. NYSERDA also will help ensure needs are met for affected stakeholders such as fishermen, maritime industries, coastal communities, and labor. The company won the lease for $42.5 million, demonstrating the commercial interest in developing offshore wind for New York state.
Offshore Wind Master Plan
With some of the most favorable conditions for offshore wind in the United States, the coast of Long Island has the potential to bring an enormous amount of renewable energy and substantial job creation and economic development benefits to all New Yorkers.
The state’s Offshore Wind Master Plan will establish a commitment for the responsible development of New York’s offshore wind resources in ways that benefit electricity customers and protect the environment. Offshore wind will protect the environment by reducing emissions and spur new investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, creating high-quality jobs across the state.
New York will ensure that the visual impact of offshore wind turbines will be minimized through appropriate siting. New offshore wind-turbine foundation technologies will allow construction in deeper water, farther offshore and out of sightlines from the coast.
Reforming the Energy Vision
Reforming the Energy Vision is Cuomo’s strategy to lead on climate change and grow New York’s economy. Reforming the Energy Vision is building a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers by stimulating investment in clean technologies such as solar, wind, and energy efficiency and generating 50 percent of the state’s electricity needs from renewable energy by 2030. Already, Reforming the Energy Vision has created thousands of jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and other clean-tech sectors. Reforming the Energy Vision is ensuring New York State reduces statewide greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and achieves the internationally recognized target of reducing emissions 80 percent by 2050.
Source: New York Governor’s office
For more information, go to www.governor.ny.gov
