by Bob Cieiselski, Atlantic Chapter Energy Committee Chair
We know that the development of renewable energy is necessary to limit the effects of climate change. Now, in the middle of the Covid-19 health crisis, it is also apparent that growth of the renewable sector is essential to our economic recovery.
Anchored in the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) of 2019 and the recent Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act (April 2020), Governor Cuomo announced on July 21, 2020 important requests for proposals (solicitations) for renewable projects across New York State. The full 15-page document may be found by googling “Governor Cuomo announces largest combined solicitations for renewable energy ever issued in the US to combat climate change.”
The largest solicitation is for 2,500 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind turbines to be constructed near Long Island and New York City. This is the state’s second solicitation for offshore wind. An earlier 2019 solicitation resulted in two contracts totaling 1,700 MW of offshore electricity — the Empire Wind contract with Orsted for an 816 MW project near the Rockaways and New York City, and the Sunrise Wind contract with Equinox for 880 MW of electricity to be built some 35 miles from Montauk Point, Long Island. Together with the South Fork Wind Farm (formerly Deep Water), scheduled to be completed by 2022, New York State will have approved some 4,500 MW of offshore electricity from wind turbines. This will bring the state to half of its goal of 9,000 MW of offshore wind being produced in-state by 2035.
The size of these wind solicitations in New York creates enormous opportunity for economic growth, jobs and investment, especially if port facilities are constructed in-state to facilitate the movement of supplies, equipment and personnel for the construction and operation of the turbines. As such, the governor’s second solicitation this July seeking contracts to upgrade ports and infrastructure can operate as a vital economic kick-start in the downstate region. The port/infrastructure solicitation offers $400 million dollars in New York incentives to aid in building these facilities: a $100 million Empire State Development grant, $100 million dollars in low-interest financing, and $200 million dollars in private-sector matching grants for a 1:1 public/private match. These port/infrastructure contracts prioritize projects that will be made operational quickly to help restart the economy and prepare for the construction of offshore turbines.
As an aside, the Atlantic Chapter and the Sierra Club New York team led by Lisa Dix has worked steadfastly for the development of Long Island’s offshore wind and port projects. These efforts included working with labor leaders, state and local officials on a bipartisan basis, and the entire Long Island community, which now registers between 80–90% support for offshore wind.
Governor Cuomo announced two additional coordinated requests for proposals to construct upstate land-based renewable energy projects for over 1,500 MW of renewable electricity — or enough to power 500,000 New York homes for 20 years. This includes a solicitation by NYSERDA to generate 1.6 million megawatt hours (MWh) annually, to enter commercial operation by November 30, 2022, with the option of extensions to November 30, 2025. A separate New York Power Authority (NYPA) solicitation will produce some 2 million MWh. These land-based projects include wind and solar generation, and may include options to couple renewables with energy storage technologies to help meet the state’s commitment to deploy 3,000 MW of energy storage by 2030. Applicants for land-based solicitations will be able to apply to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting under their expedited procedure for project approval.
All the above solicitations guarantee prevailing wages in construction and operational jobs, protection for New York’s environmental and agricultural resources, and further contain provisions to benefit low-income and economic justice communities. The total of the July 2020 solicitations seek to procure approximately 12 million MWh of renewable electricity, enough to power 2,500,000 million homes annually. Together, taking into account the value of reduced carbon emissions, these solicitations could deliver a combined $3 billion in benefits over the 20–25 year life of the projects.
Lastly, there was a request made to municipalities and counties to provide information on sites of at least 65 acres that could be made “build-ready” for solar and wind projects. The sites include brownfields and landfills, dormant electric generation sites, former industrial sites and existing or abandoned commercial sites, all with the ability to connect to the electric grid. These transformed sites could be the source of economic benefit to participating governmental units.
As always, we ask our Sierra Club members to support and push for the completion of these important renewable energy projects. Has anyone else noticed the blue skies, lessened haze and breathable air present due to the economic Covid-19 shutdown? Development of renewable energy — solar, wind and small hydropower — is essential to maintain these blue skies, reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions, control climate change, and restore economic growth to New York State.
Return to 2020 Summer Sierra Atlantic