NYSERDA Awards 1.3 GW Wind Capacity Under Community Offshore Initiative

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New York has provisionally awarded a Community Offshore Wind contract worth 1.3 GW.

A joint venture between RWE and National Grid Ventures, Community Offshore Wind will be developed under a phase-wise approach within Community Offshore Wind’s 3.2 GW seabed lease in the New York Bight. The seabed lease was acquired during federal bidding by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) last year. The project is said to supply power to over one million homes and businesses in the US and is slated to be operational by the end of 2030.

First phase

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A minimum of 500,000 households in the country will be powered up in the first phase while curbing New York’s electricity system-related carbon emissions by up to 5 percent from the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) 2031 baseline scenario. Awarded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the project will interconnect into Brooklyn, New York to add new capacities of offshore wind.

Doug Perkins, President and Project Director of Community Offshore Wind said, “Community Offshore Wind will propel New York toward its ambitious climate and clean energy goals, while cementing the state as a hub for the continued development of offshore wind in the Northeast.

Sam Eaton, CEO of RWE Offshore Wind Holdings, LLC called it “one of the largest offshore wind projects in the US” that will help create “good-paying union jobs” while also “localizing the offshore wind supply chain, and generating long-lasting economic benefits for disadvantaged communities.”

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Benefits for domestic supply chain 

The Community Offshore Wind initiative will give a major boost to the domestic supply chain. As part of the project, blade and nacelles manufactured in New York, in partnership with General Electric (GE) will be purchased.

Community benefits

An investment to the tune of of $41 million will be made in economic development and workforce programs specifically introduced for disadvantaged communities, New York Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOB) businesses. A part of this also entails $10 million childcare financial assistance program to provide support to parents employed in offshore wind careers.

Over the lifetime of the project, New York will be able to rake in incremental economic benefits worth $3.3 billion while earmarking $530 million in expenditures and labor to disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the project will pave the path for 800 jobs over the lifecycle of the project, with disadvantaged communities, local companies and the union workforce getting preference.

Another $38 million has been earmarked towards research in wildlife and fisheries research, mitigation, and enhancement.

NYSERDA’s four contracted projects – Sunrise Wind, Empire Wind 1, Empire Wind 2, and Beacon Wind  are currently in active development. Together, these four projects are expected to power more than 2.4 million New York homes. It claims to support the development of 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035.

Clean Path NY

Among other noteworthy initiatives by New York to push its renewable energy sector is Clean Path New York. The $11 billion infrastructure project will facilitate the delivery of over 7.5 million MWh of emissions-free energy into New York City annually 100% of which will be generated in New York State. The project will meet New York State’s ambitious climate goals, create 8,300 jobs and save New York State ratepayers millions in energy costs in its first 25 years of operation.

Clean Path NY is a partnership between The New York Power Authority (NYPA), energyRe and Invenergy.