Currently, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is evaluating bids under New York’s fifth offshore wind solicitation, with selections expected in the spring. Even under normal circumstances, it can take five to six years for a project to complete planning and construction. This means that, despite President Trump’s interference, the projects that have bid would, if selected, be able to make significant progress, including doing studies and public outreach, before the end of his term. And despite his pause on new offshore wind leases, enough offshore areas have already been leased for New York to move forward with a sixth solicitation, ensuring continued momentum for the state’s offshore wind, reliability, and affordability goals.
New York has been a leader in offshore wind since the industry first took root in the United States, and for good reason. The state faces growing energy demand, particularly in and around New York City and Long Island—areas where fossil fuel power plants impose significant public health burdens due to their proximity to densely populated communities.
The region’s high population density makes large-scale onshore wind or solar very hard to build, and the same is true for new transmission lines to deliver power from other parts of the state, although thankfully, several lines are moving forward. In addition, with retiring fossil fuel plants aging out of the system, downstate New York could face a reliability crisis relatively soon.
Responsibly developed offshore wind, by contrast, is clean, protective of ocean wildlife like whales, and located near this high-demand load center. Offshore wind can generate significant amounts of electricity close to consumers without using any imported fuels. It provides energy independence and remains the most affordable, reliable, and scalable way to ensure downstate New York has a steady supply of clean power for decades to come.
In fact, according to the New York State Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s bulk electric system, new offshore wind projects uniquely address multiple reliability risks that are likely to arise as soon as 2034. Fossil fuel generation or other planned resources simply can’t meet the same needs. While it may be tempting to evaluate the cost of offshore wind in isolation, ensuring the lights stay on requires looking at the full range of alternatives—and offshore wind is the highest-value option that can scale to meeting New York’s energy needs.
Further, offshore wind projects bring new career paths and economic growth to disinvested communities. The offshore wind sector is projected to invest $65 billion in projects by 2030, creating 56,000 U.S. jobs if all the planned projects move ahead. These are long-term benefits that will provide family-sustaining jobs and foster an economic renaissance for coastal areas that urgently need infrastructure investment and jobs.
New York has a legislatively mandated goal of 9 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030—a target that will be challenging to meet with the Trump administration causing disruption. But that only makes it more critical for New York’s leaders, especially Governor Hochul, to take decisive action now to keep the state on course.
Her nomination of Amanda Lefton as the next state commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation is a good step. Lefton served as director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management within the U.S. Department of the Interior and has deep knowledge of offshore wind and its importance.
But leadership also means staying on track with contracting, including advancing the NYC Offshore Wind Public Policy Transmission Need Project, a planned transmission project designed to deliver nearly 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind directly into New York City. It also means continuing to invest in port infrastructure, such as the already approved South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, and actively championing the importance of offshore wind. That’s how Governor Hochul can send a strong signal to the industry that offshore wind in the United States still has a bright future.
And all of this holds true even before considering climate change. Those who lived in downstate New York during Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Ida, or the Canadian wildfire smoke don’t need reminders of the extreme weather events devastating communities across the country. We know New York is especially vulnerable to climate change and that meeting our commitments to building a clean, carbon-free power sector is not just an option but a necessity. Offshore wind is a pillar of New York’s clean energy economy and is critical to our ability to achieve our state’s broader climate goals.
So now is the time for Governor Hochul and the rest of New York’s leaders to double down on their offshore wind leadership. Hochul should stand up to President Trump’s disruption and make it clear that New York will continue with its commitment to offshore wind as the most cost-effective choice to get reliable, clean power. It is imperative that Governor Hochul and NYSERDA continue to recognize offshore wind for what it is—New York’s best bet for cleaner air and keeping the lights on.
