New York City is making a big investment in renewable energy that will literally change the city’s landscape.

Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans for a $ 191 million investment in offshore wind turbines that will help the city meet a target of 100% clean electricity generation by 2030 and achieve total carbon neutrality by 2050. Developed in collaboration with the City of New York Economic Development Corporation, the Offshore Wind Vision plan promises to reduce 34.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of removing 500,000 cars from streets of Manhattan, while generating 13,000 jobs and $ 1.3 billion in average annual investments.

“The climate crisis is real,” De Blasio said in a statement. “New York City will serve as a model for taking climate action and developing the offshore wind industry with a real long-term vision plan focused on equity. Now we have the opportunity to keep our promises and put the city on the path to a sustainable future. “

New York Senator Charles Schumer congratulated de Blasio on understanding that “the transformation of our energy system will take our economy to new heights.”

“This forward-looking plan to develop the offshore wind industry allows New York to reduce its emissions while creating good green jobs,” the Senate Majority Leader said in a statement.

To ensure the program benefits the city and its residents while providing safe and renewable energy, the Economic Development Corporation will establish an advisory board made up of community, business, scientific and environmental justice leaders. 40% of jobs and investments will be directed to women, minorities and environmental justice communities.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams boasted that the infrastructure was already in place to create wind generation centers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and the Red Hook Container Terminal. “Building the offshore wind industry from scratch has the potential to make our city more sustainable, fairer and more prosperous,†said Adams. “We have to seize the opportunity before it takes off.”

Today, offshore wind power generates less than 50% of the world’s electricity. But according to the International Energy Agency, as countries seek to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, the market will grow 15-fold and turn into a trillion-dollar industry by 2040. The White House set a national target of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, which would generate electricity for 10 million American homes while reducing 85 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.