Projects
- Under Development: Con Edison, Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and New York Power Authority (NYPA) are currently involved in a unique public-private partnership to explore the feasibility of an offshore wind project off New York’s Atlantic coast. The Long Island-New York Offshore Wind Collaborative, as it is known, is focused on a 350 MW offshore wind project that could be expanded to 700 MW; the proposed project would be located about 11 nautical miles off the south shore of Long Island. The Collaborative withdrew its lease request after the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced its intention to participate in the BOEM lease process in furtherance of the development of New York State's Offshore Wind Master Plan.
Under Development: Several years ago, NYPA issued an RFP for up to 500 MW of wind capacity to be sited in Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. As part of that procurement, NYPA commissioned numerous technical studies including a Site Screening Selection Study, an Analysis of Lake Ice and Offshore Structures, a Port & Vessel Assessment, an Avian Risk Assessment, a Geological Investigation of Lakes Erie and Ontario, an Offshore Wind Technology Overview and a Desktop Analysis of Critical Issues. The RFP was cancelled because the proposed pricing was too high.
Under Development: LIPA issued an RFP for 280 MW of renewable peaking power in 2014. Deepwater Wind responded to the RFP in March 2014, proposing supplying more than 200 MW to LIPA by 2018. Ultimately, LIPA officials chose to pursue solar projects providing 122 MW of power.
Policy, Planning, & Regulations
- Energy & Climate Change Planning: Executive Order No. 24, signed on August 6, 2009 by Governor Paterson, mandates the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all state sources 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
- Energy Demand/Incentives: On August 2016, the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) issued an order adopting a Clean Energy Standard in New York. The Clean Energy Standard requires the utilities to procure 50% of the state’s electricity from eligible clean energy sources by 2030. This standard builds on NY Renewable Portfolio Standard that expired in 2015 which required utilities to procure 29% of electricity by renewable resources by 2015.The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) adopted a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) with a renewables target of 30% by 2015. Out of total 30%, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is required to procure 29% while, remaining 1% is set aside to be fulfilled by voluntary market.Unlike the majority of state RPS programs that require utilities to supply a certain proportion of electric load through renewable energy, New York State uses a central procurement model to implement its RPS program. NYSERDA acts as a central procurement agency which manages various programs to promote renewable energy development in the State. Through Main Tier and Customer Tier programs, NYSERDA provides incentives for renewable energy generation for end-use in New York State. Resources eligible for the Main Tier include wind power.
- Coastal & Ocean Management Planning: In July, 2013, the Department of State released the Offshore Atlantic Ocean Study to identify potential offshore wind lease areas and critical offshore habitat areas.
- Regional Ocean Management Planning: New York is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Oceans (MARCO).
- Regional Electricity Transmission Planning: New York's electricity transmission is coordinated by the New York- Independent System Operator (NY-ISO) regional power grid, which is a member of the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC).
Existing Assets, Related & Supporting Industries
- Supply Chain: The Howland Hook Marine Terminal on Staten Island was identified in the 2010 Economic Impact Assessment for the proposed Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind project as the most viable option for hosting construction-related onshore activities. The facility primarily receives large cargo container transport vessels, and an ongoing expansion is expected to increase the available area for open and warehouse storage. Alternative New York port facilities include the Brooklyn Port Authority Marine Terminal, the Red Hook Container Terminal, and South Brooklyn Marine Terminal.
- Transmission & Grid Interconnection: A 2010 NY-ISO study determined that the addition of up to 8GW of wind generation (including 1,400 MW of offshore wind) to the New York power system would have no adverse reliability impact.
Economic Fundamentals
- Population: 19.7 million (6.1% of US, 2016)¹
- Population change (2010-2016): 1.9%²
- Civilian labor force: 9.7 million (6.0% of US, 2017)¹
- Median hourly wage (all occupations): $20.56 (2016)³
- State corporate income tax rate: 6.5% (2017)⁴
- Per capita personal income: $60,534 (5th in US, 2016)¹
- Residential electricity prices: 18.50 cents/kWh (2017)¹
- Commercial electricity prices: 14.54 cents/kWh (2017)¹
- Industrial electricity prices: 6.23 cents/kWh (2017)¹
- Total energy production: 871 trillion Btu (1.0% of US, 2015)¹
- Net electricity generation: 10,105 thousand MWh (3.1% of US, 2017)¹
- Total energy consumption per capita: 184 million Btu (50th in US, 2013)¹
- Carbon dioxide emissions: 32,731 thousand metric tons (1.6% of US, 2015)¹
- Sulfur dioxide emissions: 22 thousand metric tons (0.9% of US, 2015)¹
- Nitrogen dioxide emissions: 35 thousand metric tons (1.9% of US, 2015)¹
- Total estimated technical offshore wind potential capacity: 295,226 GWh/yr (4.1% of US, 2016)⁵
References: U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA)¹; U.S. Census Bureau²; U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)³; Tax Foundation⁴; and, U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)⁵