It should come as no surprise that New York is in an energy affordability crisis right now. In just the past year, 1 in 4 New Yorkers struggled to meet their utility bills. Our grid is ancient and running at capacity and cannot move much additional power. The current administration cancelled many renewable energy projects and will continue to do so. Utilities and big fossil fuel companies currently keep New Yorkers tied to expensive fossil fuels for profit. Meanwhile, AI and data centers are set to devour even more of our energy. Now we’re facing a huge energy crunch — and it will only get worse as New York’s energy demand is expected to grow 61% by 2055.
It’s happening everywhere. Energy prices across the country have increased 23% since 2020 and are expected to continue to increase. I know that my bills have increased, and my neighbors and family (and I’m sure you) are feeling it too. But how do we address a problem that’s getting more dire by the day?
The answer is simple supply and demand: to bring prices down and keep up with energy demand, we need to bring more energy supply online and invest in the infrastructure we need to deliver it. New versions of traditional energy generation will need years to come online. Right now, there’s one ready-to-go solution we can’t afford to miss: offshore wind.
Offshore wind is the most readily available resource to meet demand and keep prices stable. This is our best bet to address both the energy affordability crisis and the climate crisis at the same time. Big utility companies don’t own what drives wind turbines; wind is free. And with Long Island’s abundant wind resource, more offshore wind means expensive gas plants don’t have to turn on as often — keeping overall energy prices stable.
The benefits don’t end there. Offshore wind’s fixed price delivers cost savings for those of us using that power, compared to scenarios without offshore wind. Especially those that involve the ever-volatile cost of traditional energy. In fact, if New York’s three planned offshore wind projects had been operational in 2022, we could have saved ratepayers $77M in a single month.
Our first operational offshore wind farm is a great example of the rewards moving to renewable energy can give us. Last year, the South Fork Wind Farm produced electricity 92% of the time, consistently delivering power to 70,000 homes. The data shows South Fork produces energy steadily during the day and peaks in the evening — right when we start to power everything up after work, school, and dinners.
It also helped during times when we needed energy the most. When New York was facing an energy emergency during last summer’s heatwave, South Fork delivered power at close to its maximum potential, helping us avoid blackouts. This is just a preview of what we can expect from other wind farms, Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind — if they are allowed to continue.
New York needs to stop looking to the failed energy of the past. With the upcoming cold season, AI and data center explosion, and ongoing rise in energy prices, now is the time for proven solutions like offshore wind.
George Povall is the director of All Our Energy.
