The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), in conjunction with the Public Service Commission (PSC), has awarded $204 million of funding to eight large-scale electric generating projects to produce and deliver renewable electricity to New York consumers.
The projects will be funded through the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which finances the development of renewable energy resources that will help reduce harmful emissions, increase energy security, and build a clean energy economy.
The funding will support wind power initiatives at the Hardscrabble (Herkimer County), Steel Winds II (Erie County), and Marble River (Clinton County) wind projects; hydroelectric projects including upgrades to the Wappingers Falls (Dutchess County) and Taylorville (Lewis County) power projects; and biofuel projects including co-firing operations at the NRG Dunkirk (Chautauqua County) facility, landfill gas-to-electricity at the Albany Energy (Albany County) project, and a new 100% biomass Black River Generation project (Jefferson County).
Once operational, the eight projects will add more than 318 megawatts (MW) of renewable capacity and produce nearly 1,100,00 megawatt hours per year of clean renewable energy, enough clean energy to supply approximately 180,000 homes. The weighted average price of the selected projects is $21.17 per megawatt hour of production.
Last year, the Public Service Commission, acting on a goal set by Governor David Paterson, expanded the RPS goal to increase the proportion of renewable electricity sold in New York from 25% to 30% by 2015. Under the Governor’s ‘45 by 15’ goal, in addition to obtaining 30% of electricity through renewable technologies, another 15% will be obtained through energy efficiency measures.
To date, 39 projects have been selected under the RPS program representing more than 1,532 MW of renewable capacity. These include 14 wind farms, 19 hydroelectric facility upgrades, one landfill-gas project, three power plants that will partially displace coal with biomass, and two power plants that will use 100% renewable biomass. Of the 39 projects selected to-date, 26 are operating, five are under construction, and the eight selected under this solicitation are under development.
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