New York State Submits Offshore Areas for Potential Wind Development Off Atlantic Coast

Albany, USA - New York State announced it has asked the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to consider identifying and leasing at least four new Wind Energy Areas off New York’s Atlantic Coast, each capable of accommodating at least 800 megawatts of offshore wind generation.

To support its request, the State submitted an Area for Consideration to locate these new Wind Energy Areas. The State also requested that BOEM utilize the data and analysis which informed the Areas for Consideration to help expedite its process for site identification, which shall encourage development of an offshore wind industry that will stimulate the State’s economy, create jobs and advance its clean energy goals.

Offshore wind is regarded as one option, to help meet Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s 2030 goals of 50 percent of all electricity in the State to come from renewable energy sources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels. According to New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) the Area for Consideration were identified after rigorous fieldwork, analysis, and stakeholder consultation that included consideration of sensitive habitats. The advancement of four or more new Wind Energy Areas within the Area for Consideration as requested by the State will encourage competition, help reduce costs, and provide New York with enough capacity to meet its commitment of 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind by 2030. The Area for Consideration begins more than 20 miles from the shore.

The proposal is the result of work undertaken by NYSERDA, New York Department of State, and New York Department of Environmental Conservation. The proposal requests that BOEM utilize the Area of Consideration for an Area Identification process, through which BOEM would delineate specific Wind Energy Areas for future leasing, through engagement with stakeholders and local communities, and the completion of federal and State regulatory reviews.

The proposed Area for Consideration fulfills one of the key goals of the New York State Offshore Wind Master Plan – to provide a “jump start” to the federal leasing process by identifying offshore areas that may be “best suited” for the development of offshore wind. As NYSERDA points out, the Area for Consideration and the Master Plan have been informed by more than twenty surveys and studies and extensive stakeholder outreach including coastal, maritime, and fishing communities; labor and business organizations; private industry; governmental entities and elected officials; non-governmental organizations, including environmental groups; and ratepayer advocates.

Offshore wind is a new, multi-billion-dollar industry and will bring unparalleled opportunities not only to the State of New York, but the entire domestic industry where it is predicted to support 160,000 U.S. jobs in construction, manufacturing, and operations over the next thirty years.

Source: IWR Online, Oct 10 2017