New York Closes Offshore Wind Solicitation While Vowing to Explore Options
New York State’s regulators quietly closed its outstanding fifth round wind solicitation on Friday, February 13, and not surprisingly, it declined to award any projects. While the state admitted the uncertainty created by the Trump administration stands in the way of proceeding currently, it nonetheless also published a new request for proposals, which it says focuses on the longer-term approach to the sector.
NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) had opened the round in the summer of 2024, when prospects remained more positive for the industry. The solicitation’s deadline for proposals was October 18, 2024, and according to the website, it received good interest.
Four developers responded, and portions of the proposals are public. Two of the projects were to the west, closer to New Jersey and the New York Bight, where Empire Wind is being developed. Attentive Energy proposed a 1,275 MW project, while Community Offshore Wind submitted proposals noting its lease area had a total capacity of more than 3 GW. To the east, near the operating South Fork Wind, Ørsted submitted proposals for its project called Long Island Wind. Vineyard also submitted plans for Excelsior Wind, proposing 1,350 MW.
There was a total of 24 variations of the plans submitted by the four developers. NYSERDA says it represented up to 6,870 MW.
Closing the round NYSERDA without an award, NYSERDA cited “federal actions disrupting the offshore wind market and instilling significant uncertainty into offshore wind project development.” A spokesperson said, given that uncertainty, the state had determined it “would not be prudent to enter into new long-term purchase and sale agreements.”
New York is unique as it has South Fork Wind, which is fully operational. It was completed as the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the United States. In addition, the state has Empire Wind, which, despite two efforts by the Trump administration to stop offshore construction work, continues to move ahead. Sunrise Wind is another of the projects underway that the Trump administration is attempting to stop, which would neighbor South Fork as the state’s third offshore wind project.
Planning was also underway for New York’s sixth procurement round. It had issued an RFP in December 2024 seeking input to help shape the next round. It highlighted that it was in part to support the integration of an additional 4,770 megawatts of offshore wind into New York City. It noted the solicitation and evaluation process was part of the state’s effort to enable progress toward a target of at least 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035.
While further near-term development seems unlikely, NYSERDA on February 10 did release a new RFP seeking what it said is feedback on potential initiatives to further offshore wind project readiness.
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“New York State is exploring whether new or modified approaches to offshore wind procurement could help support a steady and sustainable pipeline of new projects capable of advancing toward future offtake and construction,” it writes in the RFP. “One potential concept under consideration is State provision of funding or other support of predevelopment activities of offshore wind projects. Such an approach could potentially help projects advance in a timelier manner and reduce risks at the time of future offtake, both of which ultimately contribute to lower costs for ratepayers.”
Comments on the new RFP are due by March 10. The state, at the same time, remains one that is suing the federal government over the Trump administration’s efforts to stop future development. It is also supporting the current under-construction projects that are fighting the government's efforts to halt construction.