Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State address indicated that New York is committing to energy storage and wind in a big way. The governor set a goal for 2.4 GW of offshore wind by 2030. Cuomo also called for 1,500 MW of storage capacity by 2025, building on legislation passed in late 2017 requiring the New York Public Service Commission to set state energy storage goals for 2030. The state will also carve out funding for energy storage implementation through a $200 million investment from the NY Green Bank and another $60 million from New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) to implement pilot projects.

Andrew Cuomo Throws Political Weight Behind Offshore Wind and Energy Storage

Greentech Media, January 3, 2018

On Wednesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered his 2018 State of the State address, revealing new energy goals as New York heads into the fourth year of its Reforming the Energy Vision process.

The plan offers cash and sets capacity goals for two emerging industries, energy storage and offshore wind. Governor Cuomo wants to solicit 800 megawatts of offshore wind solicitations over the next two years, and 1,500 megawatts of energy storage projects by 2025.

While Europe has blossomed into an offshore powerhouse, the U.S. market hasn’t yet taken off. Rhode Island’s 30-megawatt Block Island project is the only functioning U.S. offshore wind farm. Last month saw the official cancellation of Cape Wind — the developer gave up after 15 years of legal battles.

Cuomo wants to make New York the next offshore wind frontier. In his 2017 State of the State address, the governor declared a goal of 2.4 gigawatts of wind by 2030. With two major solicitations scheduled for 2018 and 2019, there’s now momentum behind the target.

“Throughout 2017, New York has been laying the groundwork for a major investment in offshore wind,” said Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, in a statement. “A 2018 solicitation makes this real for New York.”

Cuomo is finally backing the state’s storage target months after it passed in the legislature. In late November, the governor signed a bill that mandates that the Public Service Commission set an official 2030 storage goal. The Long Island Power Authority and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will carry out project deployments to meet it.

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