Dive Brief:
- Gov. Kathy Hochul, D, announced on Tuesday a ten point action plan for the state’s clean energy industry — including a request for information for its upcoming fifth offshore wind solicitation — after the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced last week that it would no longer go ahead with the three projects it provisionally awarded in the state’s third offshore wind solicitation.
- The request for information will “inform the development” of that solicitation as well as the design of a $300 million request for proposals “focusing on major component offshore wind supply chain investments,” said a release from Hochul’s office.
- The three provisional awards were canceled due to “material modifications” to the projects, including GE Vernova’s pivot away from an 18-MW turbine model. The action plan includes a commitment from NYSERDA to soon announce a “historic suite of awards comprised of offshore and onshore renewable energy projects, along with major supply chain investments.”
Dive Insight:
“New York is solidifying its leadership role in the offshore wind industry, building the supply chain right here in the state to build the industry and drive down costs,” Hochul said.
The ten-point action plan is intended to offer “insight into how the Governor’s administration plans to overcome recent macroeconomic and inflationary challenges that have impacted the renewable energy sector,” said a release from NYSERDA.
The ten points include NYSERDA’s commitment to announce new awards for offshore and onshore renewable energy projects and “major” supply chain investments, the launch of “an accelerated renewable energy procurement process for both offshore and onshore renewable energy projects,” and New York’s existing commitment to invest $700 million in offshore wind supply chain infrastructure.
The three canceled projects – Attentive Energy One, Community Offshore wind, and Excelsior Wind – represent a total loss of a potential 4 GW in offshore wind deployment.
The 1,404-MW Attentive Energy One was being developed by TotalEnergies, Rise Light & Power and Corio Generation, while the 1,314-MW Community Offshore Wind was being developed by RWE Offshore Renewables and National Grid Ventures and the 1,314-MW Excelsior Wind was being developed by Vineyard Offshore.
“NYSERDA’s decision is warranted given GE Vernova’s failure to follow through on their commitment to deliver an 18MW machine,” Vineyard Offshore spokesperson Andrew Doba said in an email. “We worked closely with all stakeholders in an effort to bring billions of dollars of local investment and thousands of clean energy jobs to New York.”
Though the project’s cancellation is “unfortunate,” Doba said, “Vineyard Offshore looks forward to working with the Hochul Administration and NYSERDA to advance the next solicitation process in [New York].”
National Grid spokesperson Molly Gilson said that the company’s commitment to offshore wind in the region is “unchanged,” though they are “disappointed” that GE Vernova was unable to fulfill its commitments.
“We believe in the fundamentals of the U.S. offshore wind market,” Gilson said. “We look forward to evaluating upcoming solicitations in New York and to working with the state as it pursues its clean energy goals.”
The Oceantic Network reiterated its confidence in New York’s offshore wind market in a Friday news release, saying it has “confidence in the state leadership’s willingness to take bold action to secure its market.”
“We are confident New York’s leadership will take the action necessary to maintain their market’s trajectory,” said Oceantic Network founder and CEO Liz Burdock. “The state has already shown its ability and willingness to move swiftly to secure projects on their timelines, and we fully expect the state will continue taking bold action in service of their 9 GW deployment goal.”
