2024 Priorities for New York Offshore Wind

Offshore wind development is a key to meeting New York’s nation-leading climate targets, while catalyzing new economic development, creating robust job growth, and modernizing our infrastructure. Through the following actions, the New York Offshore Wind Alliance will pursue a set of actions to maintain New York’s leadership position and market momentum, putting in place and reinforcing the fundamental building blocks of a robust and responsible OSW market in New York state.   

Promoting next-generation offshore wind targets. New York is well on the path to contracting for OSW resources consistent with the legislatively mandated target of 9 GW by 2035. But OSW must play an ever-increasing role if the state is to remain on track to decarbonizing the grid by 2040 and attain economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050. NYOWA will support legislation to extend and expand these targets – ramping up to 16-18 GW by 2040; and at least 20 GW by 2050.

Supporting the steady cadence of offshore wind procurements through 2024 and beyond. The Hochul Administration has doubled down on OSW development, initiating a new solicitation in late 2023 for both legacy and new projects; and by committing to another solicitation in late 2024. NYOWA will advocate for the sustained and orderly development of the New York offshore wind market, seeking to ensure that these solicitations adhere to published timelines and result in significant project awards.

Advocating for Implementation of best practices in offshore wind procurement. New York’s OSW procurements have grown in complexity and ambition since the first such solicitation in 2018. NYOWA will seek to ensure that NYSERDA’s offshore wind procurement framework continues to represent best practice in this area, and we will look for opportunities to improve the cost-effectiveness of the program as part of the required mid-course program review.

Encouraging transmission development in support of OSW. The Public Service Commission has authorized the development of a shared transmission system that could support the integration of as much as 8,000 MW of OSW generation into New York City. While this “end-to-end” transmission facility, reportedly the world’s largest OSW transmission system ever procured, holds great potential to lower the costs, risks, and impacts of offshore and onshore transmission development, it undoubtedly also poses technical, commercial, stakeholder, political, and regulatory complexities. Given the scale, importance, and precedent-setting nature of this project, it is essential that it be done right, and that the interests and concerns of the NYOWA membership are elevated in the discussions around design and commercial structure.

Building public support for OSW. The public narrative around offshore wind has shifted and taken on a decidedly more negative tone. NYOWA will work with our grassroots partners to reclaim the high ground with a concerted effort to demonstrate the tangible benefits that are being realized already, while supporting real-time response to misinformation.

Strengthening strategic partnerships with organized labor and the environmental justice movement. Offshore wind’s political strength derives from a shared vision and active support from key stakeholders who embrace the proposition that its deployment at scale can catalyze the just transition through the creation of high-quality skilled jobs and deliver tangible benefits for historically marginalized communities. NYOWA will identify and pursue opportunities for meaningful engagement and partnering to build an on-going, two-way relationship. We will seek to publicize positive project-related initiatives with labor and in disadvantaged communities.

Supporting New York’s pipeline of awarded OSW projects through the permitting and construction phase. As the recognized voice of the OSW industry and its natural allies, NYOWA can play a supportive role in addressing regulatory or stakeholder issues that will inevitably be encountered as contracted projects progress towards construction. At this juncture of the U.S. OSW market, it is essential that these barriers be addressed or mitigated, confidence in the ability of the industry to deliver towards targets instilled, and momentum maintained. NYOWA will identify high leverage opportunities to participate in regulatory proceedings on a wide range of OSW-related issues, both project-specific and industry-wide; and assist project developers and OSW supporters with public education and outreach campaigns. 

Promoting a greater regionalization of the Northeast OSW market. To date, the U.S. offshore wind industry has developed in largely balkanized fashion, with each state pursuing its own industrial development strategy favoring in-state manufacturing, transmission investment and port infrastructure. NYOWA will work to reduce economic protectionist barriers between New York and neighboring regions; and to support enhanced coordination on policy formulation and infrastructure development throughout the Northeast region.

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