We Must Consider the Potential for Offshore Wind in the Great Lakes
New York State has proposed a plan to implement its nation-leading climate law
In 2019, New York State passed historic legislation to fight climate change—the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) requires NYS to achieve 70% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. The goals set forth in the CLCPA are ambitious and absolutely necessary if we are going to step up our fight against climate change. While setting strong goals is important, goals do not have value if they are not met. Fortunately, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) recently released a White Paper that provides a roadmap for the state to implement and achieve the goals set forth in the CLCPA.
Exploring the potential for Great Lakes offshore wind power
The strong winds on the Great Lakes contain over 20% of the nation’s offshore wind potential, yet they are completely untapped. While multiple offshore wind projects are under development off New York’s Atlantic coast, there are currently no projects being considered in New York’s Great Lakes waters. As part of the White Paper, NYSERDA proposes to conduct a feasibility study to explore the potential for offshore wind in the Great Lakes (if the state study determines it is feasible, specific projects proposed in the future would need to undergo site-specific environmental review before moving forward). Offshore wind in the Great Lakes, which is responsibly-sited and respects the Great Lakes ecosystem, must be considered in order to fight climate change and meet state renewable energy goals.
We need your help! Submit a comment on the White Paper today!
The Public Service Commission is accepting public comments through its online form (comment period closes August 31). Click here to take action and submit a comment to the PSC!
Express your support for a feasibility study to explore the potential for offshore wind in the Great Lakes, and please feel free use the following talking points in your comment:
The feasibility of responsibly-sited offshore wind, which undergoes rigorous, site-specific review before construction and respects the fragile Great Lakes ecosystem, should be explored to help meet NY’s ambitious renewable energy mandate of 70% renewable energy by 2030.
The Great Lakes contain over 20% of the nation’s offshore wind potential, yet this source of clean, renewable energy is completely untapped.
Offshore wind in the Great Lakes can help to fight climate change. Climate change, fueled by our dependence on fossil fuels, has detrimental impacts to the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem, including flooding in coastal communities, extreme rain events that cause dangerous sewage overflows, increased runoff that cause harmful algal blooms and a dead zone in Lake Erie, the proliferation of invasive species and adverse impacts on native fish species, and more.
Increasing the use of offshore wind energy improves public health by reducing harmful air pollutants that contribute to heart and lung disease. Air pollution reductions from the first 2,400 MW of offshore wind in New York would be valued at roughly $1 billion and would avoid close to 100 premature deaths each year.
New York can lead the way on Great Lakes offshore wind, spurring much-needed job creation and economic development in Upstate New York. An offshore wind project supports 74 different occupations, including electricians, welders, ironworkers, millwrights, carpenters, engineers, concrete finishers, scientists, and vessel operators.
Over 500 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. make products for the wind industry, 12 of which are in New York. With Western New York’s strong manufacturing base and history, there is potential for the manufacturing of turbine parts such as blades, towers, or the raw materials, such as steel and fiberglass, to be supplied locally.
Compared to rural land-based wind farms, the interconnection distance from offshore wind farms to urban electricity grids is relatively short. By taking advantage of the short distance, offshore wind can lower transmission congestion and losses in Western New York and the Great Lakes region.
Thank you for taking action!
Sincerely,
Your friends at CCE