New York’s utility regulator has approved a new 93-mile, US$854-million transmission line that is just one part of a wider effort to decarbonize the state’s electricity grid by 2040.
The new line from Oneida County to Albany County “will help the state meet renewable energy goals set by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA),” Utility Dive reports. A staff report last week from the state Department of Public Service also called for new transmission capacity between New York and Long Island, and looked at local grid upgrade requirements and the role of offshore wind.
The legislation calls for New York to install at least 6,000 MW of distributed solar resources by 2025, 3,000 MW of storage by 2030, and 9,000 MW of offshore wind by 2035, the news story notes. That amounts to “transformational quantities of renewable energy, which in turn requires smart new transmission,” said Public Service Commission Chair John Rhodes.
“Even greater quantities of various types of renewable generation are necessary to achieve the clean energy mandates for 2040 and 2050,” the state report said. “Meeting these milestones will require investment in renewable generation, as well as storage, energy efficiency measures, electrification of the transportation and heating sectors, and electric transmission and distribution infrastructure.”
Beyond the legislated requirements in the CLCPA, the report says New York will need 9,000 MW of offshore wind, 30,000 MW of land-based renewables, and 15,000 MW of storage to deliver an emissions-free grid by 2040.
Earlier this month, Queens-based project developer Rise Light & Power—previously known as Ravenswood Generating—proposed a 1,200-MW “submarine and underground” transmission line to bring wind- and solar-generated electricity into New York City from other parts of the state, S&P Global Platts reports. The Catskills Renewable Connector will “unlock the potential for new wind and solar energy from across upstate New York to reach customers downstate,” the company said in a January 14 statement.
“Our view is that the New York City metropolitan area is a fundamentally important part of the country that has unique challenges accessing renewable energy, and our company will focus on getting renewable energy to New York City while investing in other clean energy projects,” said CEO Clint Plummer.
