New York authorities on Oct. 24 said the state granted conditional awards for 6.4 gigawatts (GW) worth of renewable energy projects, marking its largest clean energy investment to date.

The move is expected to spur $20 billion in economic development investments statewide and create approximately 8,300 jobs, according to a news release.

The awards, according to the New York governor’s office, includes three offshore wind projects and 22 land-based renewable energy projects. Combined, the projects will be capable of producing enough energy to power 2.6 million New York homes and meet about 12% of the state’s electricity needs.

“An investment of this magnitude is about more than just fighting climate change—we’re creating good-paying union jobs, improving the reliability of our electric grid and generating significant benefits in disadvantaged communities,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release. “Today, we are taking action to keep New York’s climate goals within reach, demonstrating to the nation how to recalibrate in the wake of global economic challenges while driving us toward a greener and more prosperous future for generations to come.”

Projects selected by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) include three offshore wind projects:

  • The 1.4-GW Attentive Energy One being developed by TotalEnergies, Rise Light & Power and Corio Generation;
  • The 1.3-GW Community Offshore Wind being developed by RWE Offshore Renewables and National Grid Ventures; and
  • The 1.3-GW Excelsior Wind being developed by Vineyard Offshore (Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners).

“The Department of Energy applauds the significant step that this announcement represents for building an offshore wind energy industry here in the U.S. that revitalizes domestic manufacturing and coastal economies, while advancing our clean energy future,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement. “New York is showing President Biden’s Investing in America agenda at work, and DOE looks forward to continued collaboration on project deployment, development of a robust domestic supply chain along with transmission development to help realize both our state and federal offshore wind goals.”

The offshore wind projects are expected to begin commercial operations in 2030.

The more than 2.4 GW of conditional land-based large-scale renewable awards include 14 solar projects, six wind repowering projects, one wind project and one return-to-service hydroelectric project, according to the news release.

NYSERDA also awarded $300 million to help develop two supply chain facilities. These include nacelle manufacturing and assembly by GE Vernova and blade manufacturing developed by LM Wind Power Blades USA, the release stated.

The announcement, part of New York’s recently announced 10-Point Action Plan, was delivered about two weeks after New York regulators denied a request by offshore and onshore renewable energy developers who sought to renegotiate power contracts due to rising costs.

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