Support for Offshore Wind Gathers Momentum in New York

New York’s business, environmental, labor, and community leaders gathered yesterday, 14 August, in Rockaway Beach in support of Governor Cuomo’s plan to make offshore wind a key component of the state’s strategy to increase renewable energy and stimulate economic development.

This coalition has come together in advance of a series of New York City public meetings on offshore wind hosted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to urge the leaders to smartly move forward on offshore wind power and the jobs, economic activity, and cleaner air it shall bring.

The meeting is part of the series of public information meetings on offshore wind in Long Island that NYSERDA is hosting. In coalition with other State agencies, NYSERDA is currently producing the Offshore Wind Master Plan which will identify potential offshore wind sites that meet the State’s siting standards and take into consideration environmental, maritime, economic, and social issues.

“New York has a unique opportunity to become a national leader in offshore wind if it acts in a comprehensive and timely way. The Offshore Master Plan holds the key to creating a new clean energy economy that means emission-free offshore wind, new job-creating industries and economic opportunity, while reducing reliance on polluting fossil fuels and improving public health,” NY Offshore Wind Alliance Director Joe Martens said.

As part of the plan process, NYSERDA is conducting over 20 studies and surveys and reaching out to residents and interested stakeholder groups to weigh in regularly on the Master Plan.

The full Offshore Wind Master Plan, which will include all previously published findings, will be published by the end of 2017, NYSERDA said.

In December 2016, Statoil Wind US won rights to build an offshore wind farm at the 79,350-acre area off New York with a record bid of USD 42.5 million. The lease comprises an area that could potentially accommodate more than 1GW of offshore wind, with a phased development expected to start with 400-600 MW.

One month later, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) unanimously approved the 90MW Deepwater ONE South Fork wind farm, the nation’s largest offshore wind farm and the first one to be built off New York. The project comprises 15 turbines to be installed some 30 miles southeast of Montauk.

The wind farm projects are part of the State’s plan to develop up to 2.4GW of offshore wind by 2030.