A group of New York State senators is urging the government to include an offshore wind tier in the forthcoming Clean Energy Standard.
The state Public Service Commission is developing a large-scale renewable program to help New York meet a 50% by 2030 renewables mandate.
Twenty senators asked for a separate offshore wind carve-out in a letter to governor Andrew Cuomo and the head of the PSC.
“For the sake of our climate, our economy and New York’s working families, it’s time to move forward this year with a comprehensive offshore wind program,” said the legislators.
The commission is expected to present the new Clean Energy Standard in June.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has projected that offshore wind could meet 13% of New York’s total energy demand by 2030.
In the meantime, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is preparing to move ahead with a commercial lease auction for a 33,000-hectare lease area south of Long Island.
Several developers have expressed interest in pursuing projects in the zone, which is based on a 700MW proposal by the New York Power Authority in 2011.
BOEM plans to issue a proposed sale notice later this year.
Image: the waters off Rockaway Beach could host New York wind farms (USACE)
