Wind Power News: New York
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch in its noncommercial educational effort to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Langworthy, state lawmakers, others call for Great Lakes wind turbine moratorium
At the end of 2022, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) released a feasibility study focused on wind turbine energy production in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The 136-page study and 51-page white paper concluded that offshore wind production on the lakes isn’t cost effective, nor a unique and critical contribution to the states climate goals. But Citizens Against Wind Turbines In Lake Erie (CAWTILE) are still fighting for their cause because the study does leave room . . . Complete story »
Renewed push to put wind turbines in Lake Erie gets blowback in Hamburg
After a state entity shelved the proposal for wind turbines in Lake Erie 14 months ago, opponents of the idea suspected it was only a matter of time before the idea would be recycled. “Western New York does not want these wind turbines in Lake Erie,” said David Adrian, an aquatic biologist and member of the Citizens Against Wind Turbines in Lake Erie. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority determined in December 2022 that it wasn’t the . . . Complete story »
New wind turbines receive backlash from Otsego County communities
Members of the towns of Stark, Warren, and Springfield are fighting against the new wind farm projects. These wind farms are projects of New Leaf Stark 1 and Stark 2. The project encompasses more than 400 acres across the three towns. Many right now are against the idea of wind farms for a number of reasons. Earlier tonight, an information session was held to learn more about wind energy. Four different engineers spoke about all the negative effects that can . . . Complete story »
BP, Equinor tear up contract for big New York offshore wind project
BP Plc and Equinor ASA have terminated their power agreement with New York State for a 1.3-gigawatt wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean, blaming changing economic circumstances that made the Empire Wind 2 project unviable. The companies said they plan to seek new offtake opportunities, according to a statement Wednesday. BP and Equinor were among a group of developers that were rebuffed in October after asking state regulators for higher rates to deliver power from offshore wind farms. The rejection . . . Complete story »
Broome County’s new wind farm generating noise complaints
Some people who live near the turbines of a recently-constructed wind farm east of Binghamton are already fed up with the noise generated by the facility. The Bluestone Wind Project in eastern Broome County was commissioned in September. It consists of 26 turbines in the towns of Windsor and Sanford. Each 240-foot-long turbine is mounted to a 350-foot-tall post. Four of the turbines are in Windsor with most of the units of the 122-megawatt project in Sanford. The units are . . . Complete story »
The battle against the Equinor wind turbine project
Long Island, with its rich history, stunning landscapes and vibrant communities, is a place we’re proud to call home. Long Islanders are deeply concerned about the proposed Equinor wind turbine project, Empire Wind, and its potential to adversely affect our health, safety and economy. It is essential that we carefully examine the implications of this project and the individuals behind it. Equinor, formerly known as Statoil, is 67 percent owned by Norway and is a partner of BP Oil. Equinor . . . Complete story »
Gov. Hochul vetoes bill related to offshore wind farm cable in Long Beach
Citing local opposition, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday vetoed a controversial wind power bill that contained a passage that could have allowed a proposed transmission cable in Long Beach to move through regulatory hurdles. The governor said that while she supports wind power development, she said developers must win support from host communities – which hadn’t happened in Long Beach. This was the second regulatory blow in eight days for Empire Wind, a wind farm proposed by Norway-based Equinor in the . . . Complete story »
A tricky, sticky mineral that’s challenging offshore wind developers
Offshore wind developers are encountering an unexpected challenge on the East Coast seafloor: a crushable, green mineral called glauconite, sometimes precisely where they plan to install wind turbines. The mineral – which dates back to the age of the dinosaurs – is weaker and less predictable than sand, scientists say, presenting a new engineering puzzle for researchers and wind developers to solve. Glauconite’s behavior poses a “significant risk” to offshore wind development, said a paper published this year by the U.S. Bureau . . . Complete story »
New York rejects offshore wind, onshore renewables request for larger subsidies
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration Thursday rejected a request from companies for bigger payments to complete large-scale wind, solar and offshore wind projects – leaving the developments in doubt and threatening New York’s ability to meet its climate goals The dismissal by the Public Service Commission sets off a scramble for developers to decide whether to cancel contracts with NYSERDA, sacrificing millions of dollars in security payments. It also places New York’s clean-energy ambitions in peril. The state’s landmark climate law requires . . . Complete story »
State PSC rejects offshore wind farm developers’ requests for more subsidies
The PSC, in a unanimous 7-0 vote, rejected the request, citing the cost to consumers and the impact of possibly “corrupting” the integrity of the state’s bidding process. Complete story »