Sources told the New York Times newspaper, "The governor intends to have the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities in the state, codify the requirement" that 50% of energy used in New York is sourced from renewables.
Cuomo had previously announced a target of 50% from renewable energy sources for the northeast state as part of the "Reforming the Energy Vision" initiative, but the state had no power to enforce it.
Offshore wind developer Deepwater Wind, which is currently building the nation's first commercial offshore project, Block Island in nearby Rhode Island state, welcomed the proposals. Deepwater Wind is also developing the Deepwater One project, located to the northeast of New York's Long Island, although it missed out on a signing a power purchase agreement with the Long Island Power Authority.
"We're confident that offshore wind energy off the New York coast can play a significant role not only in meeting the 50% renewable benchmark, but also in providing a source of new capacity for New York City and Long Island," said Deepwater Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski.
"The waters off New York are home to one of the country's best offshore wind resources, and by tapping into this cost-effective source of new power in the near-term we can offset the need to build new fossil-fired power plants and help launch a new industry here," Grybowski added.
In April 2015, Cuomo announced plans to invest $160 million in renewables as part of the state governments "Reforming the Energy Vision" initiative supporting renewables' growth.
