New York on Tuesday announced its largest-ever package of renewable energy solicitations, seeking a combined 4 GW of offshore wind, onshore wind and solar power.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority seeks up to 2,500 MW of offshore wind energy this year in a solicitation authorized three months ago but the issuance of which was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic (18-E-0071). (See NYPSC Greenlights 2,500-MW Offshore Wind RFP.)
The request for proposals includes a requirement that developers partner with any of the 11 prequalified state ports “to stage, construct, manufacture key components or coordinate operations and maintenance activities.”
The agency also is coordinating with the New York Power Authority on two separate RFPs to procure more than 1,500 MW of land-based renewable energy projects, with those selected to be fast-tracked for construction under the recently enacted Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Protection Act, which provides for expedited transmission upgrades.
NYSERDA’s solicitation calls for procuring about 1.6 million Tier 1 renewable energy certificates, while NYPA’s calls for projects that will produce an annual output of up to 2 million MWh or more. NYPA can elect to purchase a percentage of NYSERDA’s acquired RECs to fulfill its own requirements.
NYSERDA also issued a request for information so that stakeholders can nominate sites for the new Build-Ready Program, initiated as part of the new siting law. The agency will prioritize areas such as dormant power plants, former industrial sites and existing or abandoned commercial sites.
Other notable provisions in the solicitations include requiring that workers be paid the applicable prevailing wage; encouraging near-term economic recovery activities in communities hosting projects; requiring that developers demonstrate a commitment to community engagement; and encouraging developers to pair renewable energy with advanced energy storage technologies to help meet the state’s commitment to deploy 3,000 MW of storage resources by 2030.
They also give priority to hiring in environmental justice areas and benefits to disadvantaged communities.
“During one of the most challenging years New York has ever faced, we remain laser-focused on implementing our nation-leading climate plan and growing our clean energy economy, not only to bring significant economic benefits and jobs to the state but to quickly attack climate change at its source by reducing our emissions,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.
“Together, taking into account the value of avoided carbon emissions, these solicitations are expected to deliver a combined $3 billion in net benefits over the 20- to 25-year life of the projects,” the governor’s office said.
Initial submissions for NYSERDA’s RFP are due Aug. 27; bids for NYPA’s solicitation are due Sept. 14; and those for the combined offshore wind and ports solicitation are due Oct. 20. Winners for all solicitations are expected to be announced in the fourth quarter.
“This enormous solicitation will not only jumpstart the state’s transition toward reducing climate pollution and meeting the goals of the nation-leading climate law passed last year, but it will also help boost the state’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis,” said Lisa Dix, state director of the Sierra Club. “These projects will create family-supporting jobs for New Yorkers and specifically [target] low-income communities to benefit from the investments.”
Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, said the organization “will be examining all of these RFPs in great detail in the coming days, but based on a cursory review, we note that the NYSERDA Tier 1 RFP … is the first to offer index REC contracts and has new requirements with respect to community engagement and agriculture mitigation.”