New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced 4GW of renewable energy solicitations and a multi-billion dollar port strategy.
This will include a second offshore wind solicitation, seeking up to 2.5GW of projects.
Last year’s solicitation resulted in nearly 1.7GW awarded.
The solicitation also includes a multi-port strategy and requirement for offshore wind generators to partner with one of more of the 11 prequalified New York ports to stage, construct, manufacture key components, or coordinate operations and maintenance activities.
This solicitation could bring New York halfway toward its goal of 9GW of offshore wind by 2035 and meet Governor Cuomo’s climate and environment goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
Funding for port investments will include €342m in both public and private funding.
“During one of the most challenging years New York has ever faced, we remain laser-focused on implementing our nation-leading climate plan and growing our clean energy economy, not only to bring significant economic benefits and jobs to the state, but to quickly attack climate change at its source by reducing our emissions, ” Governor Cuomo said.
“With these record-breaking solicitations for renewable energy and new port infrastructure, New York continues to lead the way with the most ambitious Green New Deal in the nation, creating a future fueled by clean, renewable energy sources.”
The governor also announced the issuance by NYSERDA and NYPA of what he said is the nation’s largest coordinated solicitations for land based large-scale renewable energy projects by a US state.
The combined solicitations from NYSERDA and NYPA seek to procure over 1.5GW of onshore renewable energy, enough to power nearly 500,000 homes.
Applicable land-based projects selected will be fast-tracked to construction under groundbreaking legislation passed in the budget to vastly accelerate renewable energy siting to ensure the projects are developed responsibly and quickly so the state meets its CLCPA mandate.
In aggregate, the offshore wind, port infrastructure, and land-based renewable solicitations seek to procure approximately 12 million megawatt-hours, enough to power over 1.5 million homes annually.
Taking into account the value of avoided carbon emissions, these solicitations are expected to deliver a combined €2.56bn in net benefits over the 20- to 25-year life of the projects.
NYSERDA acting president and chief executive Doreen Harris said: “Our second offshore wind solicitation combined with this historic investment in the state’s port infrastructure will ensure that New York continues to be a leader in our nation-leading pursuit of offshore wind.
“New York’s ports will serve a critically important role in supporting the long-term development of offshore wind projects not only in New York but along the entire East Coast while supporting new jobs and investment in the State during the State’s recovery from COVID-19.
“Today’s milestone also builds on the nation-leading pipeline of large scale renewable projects awarded over the past three years and will stimulate much needed economic development for upstate New York communities, prioritizing environmental justice concerns, and moving us closer to achieving Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading climate and clean energy goals.”