Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has some big plans for offshore New York. For one, he recently called on the Long Island Power Authority to approve the nation’s largest offshore wind farm — a 90-MW offshore wind project 30 miles southeast of Montauk. The project will not be visible from Long Island’s beaches, and is the first step toward developing an area that can host up to 1,000 megawatts of offshore wind power.
Governor Cuomo discusses his strong commitment to offshore wind development in New York while delivering his 2017 State of the State Address on Long Island. Watch the video here.
A second project will provide approximately 800 MW of offshore wind power in an area 17 miles south of the Rockaway Peninsula. In December, the international energy company Statoil Wind US LLC won an auction from the federal government to lease the area for wind energy development. The Governor is calling on the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to work with Statoil to ensure the project delivers power cost-effectively and responsibly to customers.
Governor Cuomo 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 unprecedented commitment to offshore wind and will be completed by the end of 2017. It 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’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,” Governor 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% 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 approximately 800 MW of offshore wind off of the Rockaway Peninsula is developed cost-effectively and responsibly to customers.
In addition, Governor Cuomo directs 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% renewable energy statewide. The State will engage academic partners to draw upon existing clean energy research and seek input from other key stakeholders.
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind, Policy, Projects
