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NY Is Officially in the Offshore Wind Arena

NY Is Officially in the Offshore Wind Arena

By Joe Martens

After years of study and planning, New York State has made good on Governor Cuomo’s promise to pursue at least 800 MW of offshore wind in 2018 and 2019.  Last week, the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) released a request for proposals for 800 MW or more of offshore wind. The RFP is the culmination of a deliberative process that started with a Blueprint for Offshore Wind published in the fall of 2016, followed by the release in January 2018 of a NYS Offshore Wind Master Plan, followed by a Public Service Commission Order issued in August.  

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NYOWA Comments Concerning the NYSERDA Draft RFP for Offshore Wind

NYOWA Comments Concerning the NYSERDA Draft RFP for Offshore Wind

By Joe Martens 

On September 20th, NYSERDA released a Draft Request for Proposals soliciting bids for up to 800 MW of offshore wind and requested interested parties to submit comments by October 5th.  NYOWA submitted comments concerning two specific aspects of the RFP: the structure and timing of project labor agreements (PLAs) and the consultation process between bidders and state agencies.  NYSERDA is reviewing the comments it received and anticipates putting a final RFP for a Phase 1 offshore wind procurement out before year’s end. 

Following up on a technical conference it held on September 25, the PSC published a Notice inviting comments on offshore wind transmission.  The PSC, in cooperation with the New York Power Authority and NYSERDA has been studying various option for the planning, construction and ownership of electrical transmission systems connecting offshore wind farms to the onshore electrical grid.  The PSC’s notice and instruction for submitting comments can be found here

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Competition + Cooperation = Regional Success

Competition + Cooperation = Regional Success

 By Joe Martens

I’d like to call your attention to a new piece that bodes extremely well for the likelihood that offshore wind meets its tremendous potential in the Northeast.

It was co-written by our friend and colleague, NYSERDA CEO Alicia Barton, and the President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Joseph Fiordalisio.

You should probably read the full piece (here) as it ran on greentechmedia.com on Monday.

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Feds Should Align with NYS on Offshore Wind Areas

Feds Should Align with NYS on Offshore Wind Areas

By Joe Martens

New York State filed extensive comments with the federal Bureau of Offshore Energy Management (BOEM) late last month and Gov. Cuomo personally called on US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to “play a significant role in the success story.” (read cleantechnica.com story here).

New York’s comments, which were echoed by NYOWA, urge BOEM to look closely at the extensive data and information submitted by New York State and to adjust the boundaries of the proposed Call Area to more closely align with New York’s “Area for Consideration.”

 

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Offshore Wind Consortium a Big Win for New York's Efforts to Lead Nation

Offshore Wind Consortium a Big Win for New York's Efforts to Lead Nation

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES PLAN DIRECTING THE PROCUREMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 800 MEGAWATTS OF OFFSHORE WIND TO JUMPSTART INDUSTRY

First Phase of Offshore Wind Procurement Will Support State's Overall Goal of 2,400 Megawatts of Offshore Wind by 2030

Will Support 5,000 New Manufacturing, Installation and Operation Jobs in Burgeoning Industry
 

Supports State's Nation-Leading Clean Energy Standard for 50% of Electricity to Come from Renewable Energy Sources by 2030 to Combat Climate Change

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Potential Brooklyn Project Shows What's Possible with Gov. Cuomo's Offshore Wind Plan

Potential Brooklyn Project Shows What’s Possible with Gov. Cuomo’s Offshore Wind Plan

By Joe Martens

May 3, 2018

Seeing this tweet from Gov. Cuomo last week made me channel my inner Marv Albert and shout YESSSS!!! 

The Governor was reacting to stories here and here that carried the headlines “Offshore wind farm could bring fabrication hub, hundreds of jobs to Brooklyn” and “Nation’s largest offshore wind farm proposes Sunset Park factory.”

 

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Offshore Lease Lead In

Offshore Lease Blog Lead In 

By Joe Martens 

Associated Press writer Steve Leblanc’s recent article [click here] concerning the Trump Administration’s support for offshore wind is an ocean of good news.  Although the Administration’s focus is on “energy dominance,” offshore wind also brings a host of environmental and economic benefits. 

In New York State alone, it is estimated that up to 5,000 new jobs will be created and up to $6 billion in economic activity will be generated. 

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New York Offshore Wind Alliance Highlights Energy, Environmental and Economic Benefits of Offshore Wind in Commenting on PSC's Draft GEIS

New York Offshore Wind Alliance Highlights Energy, Environmental and Economic Benefits of Offshore Wind in Commenting on PSC’s Draft GEIS 

ALBANY, NY – The New York Offshore Wind Alliance has submitted comments on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the Procurement of Offshore Wind that highlight the many energy, environmental and economic benefits of developing offshore wind off the coast of New York State (PSC Case 18-E-0071).

In the comments filed Monday with the Public Service Commission, the Alliance said developing 2,400 MW of offshore wind energy will:

  • Help New York meet the Clean Energy Standards goal of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030;
  • Create 5,000 new jobs in manufacturing, installation and operation of offshore wind facilities;
  • Generate $6 billion in economic activity for New York State;
  • Avoid a costly repowering of existing, aging, polluting power plants on Long Island;
  • Significantly increase the diversity of energy sources in the downstate region;
  • Promote environmental justice by improving air quality and public health – lowering public health care costs – as offshore wind displaces some pollution heavy downstate electricity production; and,
  • Avoid, minimize or mitigate any potential adverse environmental impacts, based on the significant measures included in the Draft GEIS.

 

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Pipeline of Projects Critical to Meeting Renewable Energy Goals

Pipeline of Projects Critical to Meeting Renewable Energy Goals

By Joe Martens

I moderated a “Developers Roundtable” at the Advanced Energy Center conference yesterday in New York City. The CEOs in attendance had nothing but praise for New York’s Offshore Wind Master Plan and they all agreed that the process New York was going through to put out an offshore wind procurement in 2018 was a good one.

Importantly, all agreed that despite all of the review at the federal, state and local level, they would not weaken or try to fast-track the process because they want to reassure the public that they want to get it right. They also agreed that community engagement is an essential ingredient to successful projects.  On keeping costs down and ensure that local benefits are maximized, Deepwater Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski (@JGrybowski) stressed the importance of creating a pipeline of projects. 

 

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Offshore Wind Can Boost Communities

Offshore Wind Can Boost Communities

By Joe Martens 

Governor Cuomo has taken aggressive steps to keep New York on track to meet its clean energy goal of 50% renewable electric generation by 2030. He recently re-affirmed his commitment to offshore wind at a press event with former Vice President Al Gore — a doubling down that we vociferously applauded

But clean energy leadership must extend beyond the state. Follow this link to an excellent article in the Gotham Gazette by Elizabeth Yeampierre and Angela Adrar in which they outline what New York City can do to promote offshore wind energy and achieve an “immediate and just transition toward a regenerative economy.”  

Elizabeth Yeampierre is Executive Director of UPROSE  an environmental justice community-based organization in Sunset Park. She was the first Latina Chair of the US EPA National Environmental Justice Advisory Council and currently serves on Mayor de Blasio’s Sustainability Advisory Board. UPROSE is a member of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance. A full list of NYOWA members can be found here.

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Music to our Ears

Music to our ears….

By Joe Martens

 

Today’s Crain’s includes this terrific piece from Roland Lewis, CEO of the Waterfront Alliance, a NYC-based coalition of more than 1,000 organizations dedicated to making the New York and New Jersey harbor a shared, resilient, and accessible resource for all. You can find and follow them on Twitter at @OurWaterfront.

Mr. Lewis makes great points, particularly about offshore wind’s massive job potential and how port development is so important if New York is going to reap offshore wind’s full economic as well as environmental and health benefits. He’s particularly energized about the 72-acre South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT), at Brooklyn’s Sunset Park waterfront.

 

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Environmental Business Labor Alliance Applauds Gov. Cuomo Going All In on Offshore Wind

Environmental Business Labor Alliance Applauds Gov. Cuomo’s “Going All In” on Offshore Wind

“New York State will wear the crown of America’s Clean Energy Capital.”

Benefits Include Jobs, Cleaner Environment, Economic Development
 

NEW YORK, NY – The New York Offshore Wind Alliance today applauded Governor Cuomo’s “doubling down” on offshore wind as a way to provide cleaner energy and as many as 5,000 new jobs for New Yorkers.

“Governor Cuomo is showing that New York State can and will lead the nation in developing offshore wind projects and reaping the environmental and economic benefits they will bring,” said New York State Offshore Wind Alliance Director Joe Martens. “A new American industry is being born and, with the Governor’s leadership, our state will be its home.”

 

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Just for the Record

Just for the record…

Posted on February 26, 2018


By Joe Martens, Director of 
New York Offshore Wind Alliance

Some of you may have seen the recent missive in the New York Post from conservative writer and punditRobert Bryce regarding Gov. Cuomo’s ambitious and smart plans for offshore wind in New York. (Read NYOWA’s statement on that here, but finish reading this blog post first!).

Last week I sent the newspaper a letter to the editor, which I’m guessing they’ve decided not to run. So we’re putting it here on the blog so that Bryce’s comments don’t go unaddressed. Here’s what we sent the Post:



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