New York Goes All In With Third Offshore Wind Solicitation
By Leila Nayar and Olivia Morrow
On July 27, 2022, New York State released its third solicitation for offshore wind projects. The procurement is for at least 2 gigawatts enough to power 1.5 million homes and includes the first phase of the $500M public investment in offshore wind ports, manufacturing, and supply chain infrastructure development. Under this solicitation, NYSERDA has retained the discretion to procure all the capacity remaining towards the 9 GW target for OSW as set by the New York’s landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
There are several notable provisions with the competitive solicitation issued by NYSERDA, including:
Implementing the first of its kind “meshed ready” offshore transmission configuration which will facilitate offshore wind project’s transition to a future networked grid providing increased reliability and resiliency.
Awarding additional points for developers who repurpose existing downstate fossil-based generation infrastructure to accelerate the transition to a decarbonized grid, or who utilize energy storage to contribute to grid reliability.
Emphasizing in-state manufacturing, climate equity, commitments to fair labor practices.
Requiring project labor agreements anda minimum spending levels on U.S. iron and steel for all projects awarded under the solicitation in order to promote the goals of the New York Buy American Act.
Mandating environmental and fisheries mitigation plans to reflect the ongoing focus of responsible development in offshore wind.
Fred Zalcman, Director of NYOWA, stated the following in response to Governor Hochul’s announcement: “Today’s exciting announcement puts New York in position to achieve its ambitious, nation-leading offshore wind targets well ahead of schedule and frontloads the opportunities for the state to capture new supply chain opportunities and create high road jobs, all while addressing the existential threat of climate change. This solicitation ushers in a new era of growth for the emerging offshore wind industry and further cements New York’s position as a global leader in this area, particularly with its inclusion of $500M in State dollars to develop ports and supply chain.”
With this solicitation New York State will build on its well-earned reputation as the undisputed leader of the United States market for offshore wind through its strong financial commitment to ports, supply chain development and economic development. Additionally, New York continues to set an example for other state markets by placing a strong emphasis on promoting environmental stewardship, fair labor standards, and overall environmental co-existence with fisheries and marine industries.
—
“Olivia Morrow is a Clean Energy Analyst with the Alliance for Clean Energy. She is a recent graduate of The University at Albany Rockefeller College where is obtained a Master of Public Administration”.
“Leila Nayar is a Clean Energy Fellow with the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. Her current position is a part of her graduate studies with The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where she is pursuing her MPS in Sustainable Energy.”
