New York takes a big first step toward 50 percent renewable energy

As one of the country’s largest economies and most populous states, it was a big deal when New York state passed a 50 percent by 2030 clean energy standard last year.

Today, the Empire State took the first meaningful steps toward meeting that goal: it announced a renewable energy solicitation aimed at making progress on the 50 percent target.

Under the solicitation, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the New York Power Authority will purchase enough renewable energy credits for 2.5 million megawatt hours of electricity—the state’s largest renewable solicitation to date and enough to power 230,000 homes a year.

“Clearly Governor Cuomo is serious about bringing investment in clean energy to New York State, and creating new jobs in wind and solar power,” said Anne Reynold, Executive Director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York. “This is the kind of action that will get new wind turbines spinning and new grid-scale solar projects generating clean power across the state in the coming years.”

And these new projects will create jobs and spur economic development in communities across the state. Here’s a look at the types of benefits wind has already brought to towns throughout New York: