The state of New York selected two bidders to negotiate offshore wind renewable energy certificates for 1,700 megawatts of offshore wind energy.
This represents the nation’s largest offshore wind agreement and the single largest renewable energy procurement by any state in U.S. history.
The two offshore wind projects will create enough energy to power over one million homes, create more than 1,600 jobs and result in $3.2 billion in economic activity.
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the winners of New York’s first comprehensive offshore wind solicitation: the Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind development projects of Equinor US Holdings and Bay State Wind, a joint venture of Ørsted A/S and Eversource Energy, respectively.
The project developers have committed to make additional investments in manufacturing and port infrastructure. A total of $287 million will be invested in infrastructure in multiple regions of the state, including the Capital Region, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Long Island. These financial commitments will unlock private supply chain capital and maximize the long-term economic benefits to the state from the regional development of offshore wind.
Equinor’s 816 MW project is expected to be developed with 60 to 80 wind turbines, with an installed capacity of more than 10 MW each. Total investments will be approximately $3 billion, and the project will be able to power over 500,000 homes in New York, with an expected start up in late 2024.
Equinor will also invest over $60 million in port upgrades in New York that will support future offshore wind projects and further strengthen the state’s position as the U.S. hub for offshore wind.
As part of its winning proposal for New York, Bay State Wind’s Sunrise Wind will build an operations and maintenance hub in Port Jefferson, Long Island and will invest in additional port infrastructure upgrades and establish offshore wind training programs in the state of New York.
Sunrise Wind will be located 30 miles east of Montauk Point, Long Island, adjacent to Ørsted’s South Fork and Revolution Wind projects. The wind farm is expected to be operational in 2024.
