State talks plans for wind power

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority officials announced last month that the agency was seeking feedback on a draft request for proposals from potential offshore wind developers.

More than 50 people gathered on the sixth floor of City Hall on Sept. 26 to learn more about the state’s efforts to advance offshore wind energy and ask questions about the RFP process. NYSERDA sought comments from potential offshore wind developers and other stakeholders in the hope of finalizing the RFP, which would be issued this winter.

On Monday, a report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, the world could see intensified droughts and flooding, disappearing coastlines and extreme heat that could lead to food shortages by 2040, according to The New York Times. The United States is the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind China.

NYSERDA’s efforts coincide with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s goal of producing half of the state’s electricity needs — up to 2,400 megawatts, enough to power 1.2 million homes — from renewable energy sources by 2030.

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