The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has issued the eagerly anticipated Blueprint for the NYS Offshore Wind Master Plan to encourage and support wind power as a clean, reliable and cost-effective energy source for New York.
According to NYSERDA, this plan outlines the key studies and policies that will be developed to drive the growth of the wind industry and serves as an acknowledgment of both the enormous potential that offshore wind power presents and the significant commitment that New York is making to effectively launch the industry.
The association notes that this commitment will not only provide abundant, zero-emission power, but also create jobs and spur new investment in the Empire State.
“The new Offshore Wind Blueprint lays out a policy framework that will support the successful deployment of offshore wind power for New York,” said Liz Gordon, director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance (NYOWA). “Offshore wind power is crucial to achieving the state’s 50 percent renewables by 2030 requirement, and the Offshore Wind Master Plan studies outlined by this Blueprint will be an important component of achieving this objective, which will require a large-scale, long-term commitment by New York.”
New York’s recently adopted Clean Energy Standard (CES) Order tasked NYSERDA with developing an Offshore Wind Master Plan that recommends appropriate mechanisms and best solutions for maximizing the potential for offshore wind in New York.
Ensuring large-scale market demand and a mechanism to realize it are the NYOWA’s top priorities. The Blueprint specifically commits to the identification of off-take options that will maximize the benefit to ratepayers and the quantification of offshore wind power solicited through the CES.
