New York Governor outlines plans to increase renewable energy


New York Governor Andrew Cuomo gave his annual State of the State address earlier this week in which he announced a raft of new policy promises and plans for the first 100 days of 2019, including plans to quadruple the state’s offshore wind target to 9GW by 2035 and double its distributed solar to 6GW by 2025.

In his ninth State of the State address, and his first since Democrats took control of the State Legislature, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made no secret that he was stepping steadily to the left.

His speech combined his State of the State address with his 2019 budget proposal, and his big-ticket items included everything from legalising marijuana to passing the DREAM Act to a $150 billion infrastructure plan.

Included amongst the numerous policy initiatives and plans were several renewable energy announcements which were warmly welcomed throughout the industry, founded on a plan to mandate 100 per cent clean energy by 2040.

California recently set a target of 100 per cent clean energy by 2045 which means, if approved, New York’s target would be the most ambitious in the United States.

Most notable of Cuomo’s specifics, however, was his intention to quadruple New York’s offshore wind target from 2.4 GW by 2030 to 9 GW by 2035.

“Offshore wind has potential, we know it, the industry is moving that way,” Governor Cuomo said, adding “We want to locate the industry in this state and we want to use it as an alternative. Let’s invest $1.5 million, it’s a real source of renewable energy, and let’s do it this year.”

The documentation attached to the Governor’s address was a little more hyperbolic, stating that “New York is leading the nation on offshore wind,” which likely came as a surprise to the state of Rhode Island, the only state in the country with any operational offshore wind.

Of course, New York has set itself some pretty hefty targets and is in the process of requesting proposalsfor 2,400 MW of offshore wind.

“We thank Governor Cuomo for making offshore wind energy a critical piece of his mandate to get to 100% ‘clean, carbon-free’ electricity by 2040 and for increasing the state’s offshore wind target from 2,400 megawatts by 2030 to 9,000 MW by 2035,” said  Liz Burdock, CEO & President of the Business Network for Offshore Wind.

“This is a massive increase and sends a clear message to the industry that New York is taking a leadership position in the US offshore wind market.”

In addition to a new offshore wind target, Governor Cuomo announced several plans to accelerate offshore wind progress in the state, focusing on three specific areas: port infrastructure, workforce development, and transmission infrastructure. Specifically, New York will look to invest $200 million in port infrastructure to better support a local supply chain.

The state will also establish a New York State Advisory Council on Offshore Wind Economic Workforce Development and invest in an offshore wind training centre which, together, will aim to provide New York citizens with the skills and safety training necessary to participate in the growing offshore wind industry.

“We also thank the Governor for asking for $200 million in port infrastructure, and investments in a training center and the development of an offshore transmission grid to make development more efficient and affordable for taxpayers and ratepayers,” Burdock added. “New York is off to a great start in 2019.”

In addition to his offshore plans, Governor Cuomo also plans to increase distributed solar deployment to 6 GW by 2025, up from a previous target of 3 GW by 2023, as well as more than doubling new large-scale land-based wind and solar resources through the state’s already-successful Clean Energy Standard and installing 3 GW of energy storage by 2030.

“We commend Governor Cuomo for continuing to move New York ahead on solar energy,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “His plan to double the NY Sun goal and extend the incentive program will provide much-needed certainty for the distributed solar market. Furthermore, the announcement of 16 new large-scale solar awards builds on the 22 solar projects selected last spring.

“Together, these groundbreaking investments in solar energy will create thousands of jobs, generate billions of dollars in investment, and bring clean and affordable energy to the residents of New York state. We look forward to working with the Governor’s Office and the Legislature to bring New Yorkers all the benefits that solar has to offer.”

“New York was the birthplace of the environmental movement—and it can be the home of green resistance to the Trump administration today,” said Rich Schrader, New York Political Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The Governor made several promises that can help us rise to that challenge.

“This includes growing the state’s solar power industry, choosing wind turbines over oil rigs off our shores, safeguarding our drinking water, and tackling New York City’s traffic congestion. We’ve achieved great progress over the past eight years—and it has never been more critical to double down on building a better future for our children and grandchildren. We look forward to working with Governor Cuomo to deliver on these ambitious commitments.”