After the conclusion of New York’s third offshore wind solicitation (NY3), some critics questioned whether the industry has the future that state leaders in Albany promised. But if we’re serious about clean energy and slowing climate change, New York needs offshore wind – something those who just endured the latest crippling heatwave and devastating severe weather know all too well. And as the state’s latest solicitation shows, the industry’s future in our state is bright as ever.
Offshore wind can and should be a central component of New York’s clean energy future. As the president of Community Offshore Wind – one of the offshore wind projects provisionally awarded under NY3 – I know the challenges these projects can face.
But I also know New York is among the best possible places to develop offshore wind. The release of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) fifth offshore wind solicitation underscores this. Informed by their direct engagement with labor leaders, supply chain companies, local officials, offshore wind developers, lawmakers, and others, NYSERDA solved for the issues that ultimately undermined NY3.
This is an opportunity to build a thriving industry that provides clean energy and massive economic benefits to communities from Buffalo to Montauk, and to get back on track toward our shared vision of a clean energy future for all.
A successful offshore wind industry requires two key ingredients: local resources and political will. New York has both.
The ocean off New York’s coast offers some of the best wind resources in the world, paired with the shallow depth needed to install offshore wind turbines. Community Offshore Wind’s lease area can power more than 1.1 million homes – and that’s just one of six lease areas in the New York Bight.
New York also has the workforce and industry to support offshore wind development, with an almost unparalleled legacy of large, complex infrastructure projects built with skilled, union labor.
Opportunities for port development, often a critical barrier for regional offshore wind industries, are abundant in both coastal and upstate communities. Equinor recently broke ground on its revitalization of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, which will transform the facility into a hub for offshore wind development.
Of course, access to resources can only take this budding industry so far. The real make-or-break factor is political will – and there’s no doubt Governor Kathy Hochul intends to make New York a global leader in offshore wind. As developers, we know we can move forward with the confidence our leaders will support us however they can.
And critically, the latest solicitation grants developers far more flexibility to make the supply chain investments that make the most sense for our individual projects. Diversifying these investments between projects will not only grow a local, robust supply chain, but prevent decisions made by a single supplier from bringing down an entire round of projects again.
There are already multiple offshore wind projects operating or moving forward in New York. Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind both finalized contracts with NYSERDA recently, adding to the clean power already being generated by the South Fork Wind Farm. Now we need to add more – fast.
We can’t afford to wait. Offshore wind is a proven technology that provides reliable, affordable clean energy, and New York is well-positioned to support a thriving industry. Working together with Governor Hochul and NYSERDA, we will create good-paying jobs, power millions of homes with renewable energy, and further New York’s legacy as a pioneer of climate leadership and responsibility.
Doug Perkins is the President of Community Offshore Wind, a joint venture of RWE and National Grid Ventures that will develop offshore wind on the largest parcel in the New York Bight with the potential to host 3,000 MW of capacity.
