Dive Brief:

• Deepwater Wind has proposed a 90 MW wind farm, 30 miles southeast of Montauk, N.Y., and sufficiently offshore to be beyond the horizon and out of sight, North American Windpower reports. 
• Combing 15 turbines and two battery systems, the Deepwater ONE-South Fork project would be the first phase of a regional offshore wind farm, with all transmission cables buried below existing roads and under shoreline features.
• Two lithium ion batteries would be put in place at separate locations, designed and installed by General Electric.

Dive Insight:

As New York continues to work on modernizing its grid and adding more renewable energy, utilities are seeking innovative projects involving renewable energy and storage. PSEG-Long Island issued a request for new resources, and Deepwater Wind's proposal is designed to defer the cost of additional power facilities.

“Governor Cuomo has made New York a leader in clean energy. Our new solution supports his goals by combining advanced energy storage technology and renewable energy from offshore wind to deliver clean, cost-effective energy exactly when and where it’s most needed,” Deepwater Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski said in a statement. “Not only will the project reduce air pollution emissions on Long Island, but it’ll also defer the need to build costly new power plants and transmission systems on the South Fork.”

The company said its combination of renewable generation with energy storage provides a cost-effective solution to two challenges in the area: It will bring clean energy directly to Long Island Power Authority's (LIPA) existing substation in East Hampton, while also helping to satisfy clean energy goals in the region.

The project would address LIPA's commitment to procure 280 MW of on-island renewable capacity, as well as the town of East Hampton’s Board mandate to achieve 100% renewable energy. It would also help the state reach a goal to use 50% renewable power by 2030.

Construction could begin in 2019, with the project beginning to produce power in 2022.

“Our partnership with Deepwater Wind pairs proven, reliable advanced battery energy storage solutions with offshore wind energy from one of the country’s leading wind developers,” said Pratima Rangarajan, general manager of storage for Current, a GE subsidiary. “Together, this solution will help the South Fork meet its energy needs in an affordable and sustainable way.”

Since taking over the LIPA grid, PSEG has been working to modernize electric operations in the region. Last year, the company filed its Utility 2.0 Plan, a sketch of how the it expects to transition into a new era of resources. PSEG-Long Island's solar program has been growing for the last decade, adding roughly 2,000 customers annually.