New York has requested proposals to expand its wind and solar power capacity by 4,000 megawatts. That’s the largest renewable energy solicitation in the U.S.
The new plans call for $400 million in green energy projects, including a 2,500-megawatt expansion to the offshore wind farms to the south and east of Long Island.
Doreen Harris with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority says the projects will create more than 4,000 jobs and generate billions of dollars of investments at a time when the state’s economy really needs it.
“It has been a challenging year here in New York. But this signal of this largest solicitation ever helps to further cement New York's leadership in using clean energy to grow our state's economy. [It] really represents New York’s strong commitment to using renewable energy as a tool for our economic rebuilding.”
Gordian Raacke with Renewable Energy Long Island calls the projects a win for the region.
“Offshore wind presents an opportunity for Long Island because we have a very large untapped clean energy source right here in the Atlantic Ocean, right at our doorstep.”
New York has committed to adding 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2035 as part of its effort to combat climate change.
