Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the largest combined renewable energy awards ever by a state in the U.S., further cementing the State’s leadership in combatting climate change and growing the clean energy economy.
These unprecedented procurements resulted in two offshore wind projects, Empire Wind 2 and Beacon Wind, and 24 large-scale land-based clean energy projects, totaling more than 4,700 megawatts – enough new renewable capacity to power almost 2 million New York homes for at least 20 years.
Empire Wind 2 and Beacon Wind will leverage almost $3 of private funding for every $1 of public funding for a combined $644 million investment in resilient port facilities in the Capital Region and Brooklyn. As a result of these awards, the Port of Albany will host the nation’s first offshore wind tower manufacturing facility and the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal will establish a cutting-edge turbine staging facility and also serve as the long-term operations and maintenance hub for these projects and Equinor’s U.S. Offshore Wind Hub.
Empire Wind 2 and Beacon Wind will also deliver significant economic benefits to disadvantaged communities, including $47 million in workforce development training, new innovation, and community benefits funding. Additionally, projects are expected to bring approximately $1 billion of avoided health impact benefits in the form of avoided hospitalization and asthma and respiratory diseases, which have historically and disproportionately impacted those living in disadvantaged and environmental justice communities.
Equinor has committed to environmental and fishing mitigation plans and will continue to engage with the E- and F-TWGs to adapt their development processes in an environmentally responsible manner. In addition, nearly $25 million will be committed to support regional monitoring of wildlife and key commercial fish stocks to better understand and minimize the potential impacts of responsibly transitioning to this clean energy source. This money will be split equally between these two topic areas.