Today, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo unveiled the New York State Offshore Wind Master Plan: Charting a Course to 2,400 Megawatts of Offshore Wind Energy.  On behalf of the State, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) oversaw the preparation of the Master Plan and its 20 supporting studies.

The Master Plan provides a comprehensive roadmap for New York to reach its goal of fostering the development of 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind energy – enough to power up to 1.2 million homes – by 2030.  This nation-leading goal for offshore wind energy will help New York meet its Clean Energy Standard, which mandates that by 2030, 50% of the State’s electricity must be generated from renewable sources.

The Master Plan is the culmination of two years of analysis, outreach, and planning.  It is supported by 20 studies that gather data on environmental, social, economic, regulatory, and infrastructure issues relevant to offshore wind energy.  The Master Plan draws from the information in the studies, as well as from the extensive outreach that the State conducted and from contributions of other State agencies, to set forth a strategy for reaching the State’s ambitious offshore wind energy goal.  Specifically, the Master Plan:

• identifies the most favorable areas for potential offshore wind energy development;
• describes the economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind energy development;
• addresses mechanisms to procure offshore wind energy at the lowest ratepayer cost;
• analyses costs and cost-reduction pathways;
• recommends measures to mitigate potential impacts of offshore wind energy development;
• identifies infrastructure requirements and assesses existing facilities; and
• identifies workforce opportunities.

The Atlantic Ocean area off of New York presents a tremendous opportunity for offshore wind energy development, given the area’s shallow depth and strong winds, and the abundant electricity demand from New York City and Long Island.  In October 2017, New York State identified an Area for Consideration for potential offshore wind energy development, and requested that the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management identify and lease at least four new Wind Energy Areas within it.  As new areas are leased, the Master Plan will help ensure the responsible and cost-effective development of offshore wind energy for the benefit of all New Yorkers.

SPR is pleased to have had a role in the development of the Master Plan.  For more information about offshore wind, please contact Dan Chorost, Elizabeth Knauer, Jeff Gracer, or Katherine Ghilain.