Summary

This bill amends the executive law to establish new goals for offshore wind generation, setting targets at 9,900 megawatts by 2035, 15,800 by 2040, 18,000 megawatts by 2045, and 20,000 megawatts by 2050.

Explanation

In 2019, New York State passed the Climate, Leadership, and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) with the goal of achieving 70% clean energy statewide by 2030 and 100% emissions free energy by 2040. These goals are some of the most ambitious in the country and meeting them will require significant investments in renewable energy. In order to provide market certainty, this bill establishes new goals for offshore wind generation, setting targets at 9,900 megawatts by 2035, 15,800 by 2040, 18,000 megawatts by 2045, and 20,000 megawatts by 2050.

In the last four years, New York State has made substantial progress towards the offshore wind targets set in the CLCPA. The original target was set at 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, but New York State has already began actively developing 4,300 megawatts and announced 2,000 additional megawatts In 2022. This brings the state more than halfway to our goal over a decade before the target date. The industry has expanded rapidly, and New York State Is set up to become a national leader in the field.

This progress demonstrates that not only are our generation goals feasible, but that we can do better and secure more clean energy and good green jobs for New Yorkers. The offshore wind supply chain In New York can create thousands of union jobs and  establish the New York State as a hub for the offshore wind industry on the east coast.

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