The New York City Offshore Wind Collaborative, represented by energy utilities and New York state and city agencies, have announced that consultants will soon begin pre-development activities, such as desktop studies of the ocean's wind, waves and wildlife environment, as part of an effort to develop what could be the largest offshore wind farm proposal in the country.
Approximately 30 wind developers and firms responded to the collaborative's request for information issued on July 1, signaling substantial interest in developing a wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean, 13 nautical miles off the south shore of the Rockaway Peninsula.
The collaborative expects to issue a request for proposals (RFP) in the spring. The RFP will seek proposals from private development firms to build the project and enter into agreements to sell the clean energy it produces. The wind project would likely be designed for 350 MW of generation, with the ability to expand up to 700 MW.
Meanwhile, the collaborative will enlist engineers and scientists to embark on conducting desktop studies of the proposed project site, which will help guide ocean-floor surveying, as well as wildlife migration patterns, to help further evaluate the feasibility of the project.
A transmission interconnection study by the Collaborative concluded that an interconnection for up to 700 MW of wind power, located at a proposed location in the Atlantic Ocean, would be feasible with upgrades to the current transmission systems. An application to interconnect the offshore wind project has been filed with the New York Independent System Operator for up to 700 MW by 2015.
SOURCE: The New York City Offshore Wind Collaborative, Long Island Power Authority
