Green Inc. reports that Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is currently in Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (“UNFCCC”) Conference of the Parties, is advocating that a wind power complex be constructed off the shores of Long Island, similar to the giant wind turbines in the North Sea off the coast of Denmark. Mayor Bloomberg and his sustainability director, Rohit Aggarwala, have called on government agencies and utilities in New York to create a 700-megawatt offshore wind power complex. The project would cost $3 billion and be the largest wind project in the world.
Mayor Bloomberg argues that wind power is “a lot better than digging up coal and transporting it and belching pollutants into the air” and is superior to “buying foreign oil.” He goes on, “it’s good for the planet long term. It’s good for the air right now … and it makes economic sense.” However, offshore wind power has been the subject of opposition by some New York residents who claim that wind farms may negatively impact views, and may cause other potential impacts. In response, Mayor Bloomberg notes that the wind power complex he is proposing would be further offshore than the previous proposals which have garnered opposition. With greater distance, however, comes greater expense and complexity from a permitting and operations perspective.
If the project does come to fruition, it will provide less than one percent of New York City’s peak electricity needs, with 350 megawatts distributed to Long Island and 350 megawatts distributed to New York City. In response to questions about whether New York should spend billions of dollars on a project that will meet just a percentage of electricity needs, Mr. Aggarwala stated that the wind project is just one part of the bigger energy efficiency picture, which includes a new natural gas plant in Astoria that will displace older, less efficient facilities, and new legislation in New York City aimed at improving energy efficiency in the city’s buildings.
