As part of both a push by the federal government and the state government of New York, new wind power generation areas may be developed off the coast of Long Island. The Obama administration is considering the development of new offshore wind power project about 11 nautical miles south of Long Beach, according to a recent report by Bloomberg.
Offshore Wind Power Comes to New York
Offshore wind power development is nothing new – with projects in both New England and the Mid Atlantic currently being constructed. But for New York, the generation of wind power is one of many green energy projects by the state. New York City in particular has made a recent push to limit coal power generation to reduce air pollution and keep skyscrapers cleaner, and new office space in New York City contains green energy construction materials, energy efficient lighting and other design components designed to not only save electricity and reduce long-term costs but to minimize environmental impact.
The wind farm would join two others currently under construction, one in Delaware and one in Massachusetts The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, part of the U.S. Interior Department, grants approval and permitting for construction of off-shore wind farms. The agency issued a request for competing interest in the lease area, which is about 130 square miles. If no private contractors submit bids on the project, the New York Power Authority can be granted a lease on a non-competitive basis.
New Offshore Wind Power Looks to Power Thousands of Homes in NYC
The project would generate 350 to 700 megawatts of power for New York City and communities of Long Island, enough to power tens of thousands of homes each year. The Long Island Power Authority and Consolidated Edison Co. both support the project and will work with the New York Power Authority or the chosen private contractor to deliver the power to homes.