The New York Public Service Commission has given the go-ahead for the US state to start procurement of up to 2500MW of new offshore wind capacity this year.
The commission decision taken on 23 April authorises the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to procure at least 1GW and grants the latter organisation the flexibility to consider 2.5GW, if the “pricing and other terms are sufficiently compelling”.
New York has set an offshore wind goal of 9GW by 2035, which the commission said needs a “rigorous, stable, and consistent timetable of solicitations”.
NYSERDA should follow an evaluation weighting for projects of 70% based on price, 20% on economic benefits and 10% project viability, as set out in the state’s Offshore Wind Order, the commission added.
NYSERDA filed the petition with the Public Service Commission on 28 January.
The 2020 solicitation is expected to be launched in July, according to NYSERDA.
The state’s first wind procurement in 2018 resulted in success for Equinor’s 816MW Empire Wind project and Orsted and Eversource’s 880MW Sunrise Wind development.