New York Awards Contracts for 2.3 Gigawatts of Large-Scale Renewable Energy Projects

The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority on Dec. 3 announced contracts for 23 large-scale renewable energy projects. In total, the projects could generate up to 2.3 gigawatts (GW), capable of powering over 700,000 households and spurring an additional $4.7 billion in private investments.

The contracts stem from the agency’s 2023 Tier 1 Renewable Energy Standard solicitation.

The projects consist mainly of wind and solar projects in different parts of the state. Solar projects include Cordelio Power’s Scipio Solar and Dog Corners in Cayuga County, Highview Solar in Wyoming County, and NextEra Energy’s Garnet Energy Center and Trelina Solar Energy Center in Seneca County. A few of the selected wind energy projects include Heritage Wind, RWE’s Baron Winds II, and the Canisteo Wind Energy Center in Steuben County.

All contracted projects will be operational by 2028, with some having started construction already. Payments under these projects will commence once they receive all required permits and deliver clean power to New York residents. The projects are expected to cut annual emissions by 2.3 million metric tons and provide over $249 million to disadvantaged communities from community benefit funds.

New York’s Clean Energy Standard, or CES, Biennial Review, released in July, found that the state is behind its clean energy goal of generating 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030. The report stated that only 25 percent of New York’s electricity came from renewable sources and there was a deficit of 42,145 GWh which the state needs to address by rapidly advancing its pipeline of clean energy projects.

Despite these setbacks, the authority revealed in October that New York had achieved the major milestone of reaching 6 GW of distributed solar capacity, one year ahead of schedule.