New York state officials have announced conditional contracts for electricity purchase from two proposed offshore wind farms, marking a significant leap towards achieving the state's clean energy goals. The contracts were awarded to Equinor's Empire Wind 1 project and the Sunrise Wind project, a collaboration between Orsted and Eversource. Together, these projects are set to become the largest power generation ventures in the state in decades.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) initiated the solicitation, allowing developers to secure economically-friendly deals, resulting in contracts worth 924 MW for Sunrise Wind and 810 MW for Empire Wind 1. These projects are poised to contribute substantially to New York's ambitious target of developing 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind generation capacity by 2035, with an expected online date of 2026 for Sunrise Wind and 2027 for Empire Wind 1.
Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized the importance of offshore wind in combating climate change and expressed pride in New York's national leadership in advancing towards a zero-emissions electric grid. The contracts enable the projects to sell Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificates (ORECs) to NYSERDA on behalf of New York electricity customers, propelling the state closer to its sustainability objectives.
These developments signal a promising future for offshore wind energy in the United States, particularly in the Northeast region. Despite challenges such as rising construction costs and supply chain disruptions, the commitment of stakeholders like Equinor, Orsted, and Eversource, along with the support of government initiatives, underscores the resilience and potential of the offshore wind industry.
Source: powermag.com