Late last month, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced a $ 191 million, 15-year plan to make New York City a leader in the wind industry. offshore.

Called the Offshore Wind Vision (OSW) plan, it ensures the city meets its climate targets of 100% clean electricity by 2040 and carbon neutrality by 2050. The investment aims to create more than 13,000 jobs and generate $ 1.3 billion in average annual investment; ensure that 40% of employment and investment benefits are directed to women, minorities and environmental justice communities; and reduce 34.5 million tonnes of CO2, which is equivalent to taking nearly 500,000 cars off the road for 15 years, as reported in the New York City press release.

The OSW plan focuses on three main areas: sites and infrastructure, ensuring the development of “best quality†infrastructure that will support the construction and operation of offshore wind farms; businesses and the workforce, preparing local workers and businesses, especially those in disadvantaged neighborhoods, to seize the opportunities created by infrastructure investments; and research innovation, promoting research and innovation in offshore wind to ensure that new technologies and approaches are developed in New York.

In addition, the plan aims to support offshore wind projects on the east coast and ultimately around the world.

Seeking to attract additional federal, state and private investment for the OSW plan, the NYCEDC will establish an Offshore Wind Industry Advisory Council comprised of community, business and non-profit leaders.

“New York City is rallying to face the climate crisis with bold action,†said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Investing in our offshore wind industry is not only a victory for our planet, it also means thousands of new jobs and clean, affordable energy for New Yorkers. This plan will have a dramatic impact on our fight against climate change and will help us embark on the path to a clean energy future.

NYCEDC also announced that it and its partners have worked together to activate the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) in Sunset Park, Brooklyn at an OSW port. It will be operated by Equinor, a global developer of offshore wind energy, which is behind the Empire Wind Project, a plan to create an offshore wind farm on an 80,000-acre body of water 20 miles to the south. from Long Island. In addition to the OSW plan’s equity focus, the Empire Wind Project plans to create a $ 5 million fund to ensure low-income people, people of color and New Yorkers in communities environmental justice also share the benefits of the industry.

In more recent news last Friday, proponents of a 122-turbine offshore wind farm project, which would be located 30 miles east of Montauk Point on Long Island, announced a $ 86 million contract for train workers and build the project. Development partners Orsted and Eversource say the Sunrise wind farm will power 600,000 homes and create more than 200 jobs.