By Danielle Valente
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A newly formed collaborative between the private sector and a host of New York State and New York City agencies is weighing the pros and cons of building a wind farm off the south shore of Long Island, what could become one of the largest offshore wind projects in the country.
“Last August, the City began to explore the full potential of renewable energy,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “Offshore wind quickly emerged as one of the biggest opportunities we have.”
The Off Shore Wind Project, which is sponsored by groups including the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), Con Edison and New York Power Authority (NYPA), will be placed roughly 13 miles off the south shore of the Rockaway Peninsula in the Atlantic Ocean. The project will be designed for 350 megawatts (MW) and will be able to expand up to 700 MW, the largest amount that has been considered in the country, by 2015 .
The collaborative issued a Request for Information (RFI) on Tuesday to gauge the level of interest in developing the project and hopes to put out a request for bids by the end of 2009.
“This RFI represents the next step in positioning ourselves as national leaders in clean renewable energy, the creation of clean energy jobs and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels,” said LIPA President and CEO Kevin Law.
In addition to the RFI, the Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Collaborative unveiled a new Web site designed to keep the wind industry, communities and stakeholders informed of the project’s progress. The RFI may be viewed or downloaded from the new Web site by visiting www.linycoffshorewind.com.
“We will continue to explore the feasibility of an offshore wind project,”said Kevin Burke, chairman and CEO of Con Edison. “If the technical, environmental, economic and social challenges can be met, and we have the support of government, energy and environmental leaders, I am confident this project will be built and produce enormous benefits for our region.”
