Announcements
The State of the Science Offshore Wind and Wildlife Updates
December 1, 2020
The 2020 State of the Science Workshop was held virtually from November 16-20, 2020. This workshop brought together over 450 stakeholders from 21 states and 20 countries engaged with environmental and wildlife research relevant to offshore wind energy development for information exchange on assessing the state of the knowledge regarding offshore wind development's cumulative effects on populations and ecosystems. Through late 2020 and early 2021, workshop attendees, with the guidance of technical leads, will participate in virtual work groups to identify key research priorities for the next 3-5 years to improve our understanding of cumulative biological impacts as the offshore wind industry develops in the U.S. Efforts will culminate in a final webinar in the Spring of 2021 to report the outcomes of the work group efforts. Learn more.
New York's second offshore wind solicitation announced
July 21, 2020
New York Governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, announced New York's second offshore wind solicitation, which seeks at least 1,000 and up to 2,500 megawatts of renewable energy. The solicitation includes Environmental and Fisheries Mitigation Plans with new requirements to mitigate potential impacts from noise, vessel strikes, and lighting, as well as a provision for financial and technical support to regional monitoring of wildlife and key commercial fish stocks through a minimum contribution of $10,000 per megawatt. Please see here for more information.
2020 State of the Science Workshop is going virtual
June 18, 2020
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) along with our workshop organizers have made the decision to hold the State of the Science Workshop on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy 2020 entirely virtually in response to COVID-19. Plenary presentations and Q&A panel discussions will occur throughout the week of November 16-20 with smaller taxon-specific working meetings in late 2020 and early 2021, along with a final group webinar in the Spring of 2021. Please see here for more information.
2020 State of the Science Workshop rescheduled
March 18, 2020
To ensure the safety of our staff and participants and in accordance with the state’s directives around large gatherings, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) along with our workshop organizers are rescheduling the State of the Science Workshop on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy 2020 to November 16-20, 2020. Please see here for more information.
2018 State of the Science Workshop proceedings are now available
March 17, 2020
The proceedings for the first State of the Science on Wildlife and Offshore Wind Energy Development Workshop are now available here. The workshop was hosted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on November 13-14, 2018 and was a great success, bringing together stakeholders engaged with environmental and wildlife research relevant to offshore wind energy development, and promoting coordination and collaboration in efforts along the eastern seaboard from Massachusetts to North Carolina.
NYSERDA files a petition to initiate a regulatory proceeding seeking Commission authorization to issue a 2020 offshore wind solicitation
January 29, 2020
Based on the terms of the Public Service Commission's July 2018 Order Establishing Offshore Wind Standard and Framework for Phase 1 Procurement, NYSERDA filed a petition to initiate a regulatory proceeding seeking Commission authorization to issue a 2020 offshore wind solicitation. The petition addresses Governor Cuomo's announcement in his 2020 State of the State Address, that in 2020, NYSERDA should issue its second solicitation for offshore wind facilities to yield at least an additional 1,000 megawatts of clean power. Download here.
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection announces selection of 804 MW Offshore Wind Project
December 5, 2019
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes announced the selection of Vineyard Wind's 804 megawatt Park City Wind Project. The bid was selected through a competitive request for proposals. The project will provide the equivalent of 14% of the state's electricity supply and represents the largest renewable energy purchase in Connecticut's history. This represents a major step toward Governor Lamont's goal of a 100% zero-carbon electricity supply by 2040. Learn more
NYSERDA Finalizes Contracts for Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind Projects Under the First New York Offshore Wind Procurement
October 23, 2019
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) finalized contracts with Equinor Wind US LLC for its 816 megawatt Empire Wind Project and Sunrise Wind LLC (a joint venture of Ørsted A/S and Eversource Energy) for its 880 megawatt Sunrise Wind Project. Concurrently, NYSERDA submitted a report to New York State Department of Public Service detailing the success of the first large-scale offshore wind solicitation for New York. The report highlights the unprecedented level of competition, the cost effectiveness of projects, an innovative contracting structure, the inclusion of environmental, fishing and ocean use priorities, and the health impact benefits among other topics. Learn more
New NYSERDA Multi-year Projects Announced
August 8, 2019
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has selected five multi-year projects totaling more than $2 million dollars to study important environmental and commercial fishing topics related to offshore wind energy development. Topics include developing solutions to ensure access to fishing grounds, the inclusion of fishermen’s knowledge in decision-making, understanding linkages between forage fish and marine predator behavior and distributions, modeling oceanographic dynamics in the New York Bight, and developing guidelines for nanotag transmitters to monitor birds and bats in relation to offshore wind energy development. These projects will help advance New York’s ambitious renewable energy goals. Learn more
Governor Cuomo Executes the Nation's Largest Offshore Wind Agreement and Signs Historic Climate Leadership and Community Protection
July 18, 2019
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo executed the nation's largest offshore wind agreement and the single largest renewable energy procurement by any state in U.S. history - nearly 1,700 megawatts -with the selection of two offshore wind projects, Empire Wind (Equinor US Holdings) and Sunrise Wind (Bay State Wind LLC). Governor Cuomo also signed the Climate Leadership Community Protection Act (CLCPA), clean energy legislation that requires carbon free electricity by 2040 and an 85% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050, in an effort to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Learn more
Connecticut DEEP issues Draft Request for Proposals and Opportunity for Public Comment for Offshore Wind Procurement
July 1, 2019
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) on July 1 issued a draft request for proposals (RFP) to procure up to 2 GW of offshore wind capacity. For more details see the CT DEEP procurement website.
BOEM Announces Renewable Energy Path Forward on the Atlantic
June 11, 2019
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) sought input on the Proposed Path Forward for Future Offshore Renewable Energy Leasing on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf through a Request for Feedback (RFF) that published in the Federal Register on April 6, 2018. Comments and feedback on the proposed path forward can be found on regulations.gov.
Massachusetts Announces Second 800 MW Offshore Wind Solicitation
May 23, 2019
The Massachusetts Electric Distribution companies, in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, are issuing an RFP for Long-term Contracts for Offshore Wind Energy Projects pursuant to Section 83C of Chapter 169 of the Acts of 2008, as amended by chapter 188 of the Acts of 2016, An Act to Promote Energy Diversity. Learn more
Vineyard Wind Launches Search for Acoustic Monitoring Systems to Help Safeguard Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales
May 21, 2019
Vineyard Wind announced that it is seeking proposals from universities, technology companies and other innovators for implementation of advanced Passive Acoustic Monitoring Systems (PAMS) to be deployed alongside transit routes to the offshore wind area located off the coast of Massachusetts.
Agreement Signed to Protect North Atlantic Right Whales
January 23, 2019
The Natural Resources Defense Council, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Conservation Law Foundation signed an agreement to help protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. The agreement for Vineyard’s 84-turbine project off of Massachusetts ensures that turbine construction will be curtailed in the winter and early spring, when right whales may be in the area and that the presence of whales near the site will be closely monitored and construction noise will be limited.
Photo credits: Big brown bat © Michael Durham