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The Long Island–New York City Offshore Wind Collaborative [3]recently submitted [4] a lease application to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) to use the ocean floor 13 to 15 miles off the shores of the Rockaway Peninsula for a proposed wind farm.

Comprised of Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), Consolidated Edison of New York (Con Edison), and the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the Collaborative was formed in 2009 to research and develop the 350 MW off-shore wind facility. The preliminary cost estimate for project is $415 million with an additional $406 million to build a transmission infrastructure to support up to 700 MW of wind power generation. 

Filing the lease application marks a big step forward for the wind project, which the Collaborative projects could reach commercial operation by 2017. This news also furthers Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's renewable energy agenda which has seen several positive developments in the past few months.

In June, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) awarded [5] $191 million to 17 clean energy projects that will combine to generate 350 MW of electricity. These developments will move New York State closer to its Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) which mandates 30 percent of the state's electricity to be sourced from renewables by 2015.

As part of its BOEMRE filing announcement the Collaborative said it will conduct "a competitive solicitation to select one or more private entities to develop the project."

Answering the call one day later,  offshore wind developer, Deepwater Wind released a statement [6]applauding the New York Power Authority's actions. CEO William M. Moore said:  “Deepwater Wind will submit a bid in this state competition.” The company is also developing a transmission project that would connect the offshore wind farm to both New York and northern New Jersey.

Image Credit: Slaunger [7] via Flickr