The Future of Offshore Wind in New York State: What Will It Take to Build a Large, Vibrant and Equitable Industry?

Offshore wind power is essential to meeting New York State’s climate goals. It is a renewable energy resource that can lower electricity costs, create many high-quality careers, and significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions. New York State has been a leader in offshore wind since 2019 when it set a target to build 9 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035. In January of 2024, New York’s South Fork Wind was the first utility-scale project in the U.S. to deliver power to the grid. 

In the past year, offshore wind projects have been canceled in New York and New Jersey, demonstrating that there are challenges to establishing this important industry. The success of offshore wind will also be measured by the number and quality of jobs it creates in New York State, and if these jobs go to frontline workers and communities. With the vast majority of offshore wind jobs in manufacturing, building a robust, equitable offshore wind industry in New York State will require state-of-art-ports that can support offshore wind’s manufacturing, assembly, and operations and maintenance needs. Upgrading the region’s electric grid, including building an offshore transmission “backbone,” may also be important to deploying offshore wind and lowering its cost. 

Please join Cornell ILR’s Climate Jobs Institute and the Center on Applied Research on Work for a webinar that brings together labor, industry, environmental, and government experts to discuss the current state of offshore wind in the U.S. and what it will take to ensure New York builds a large, successful industry that meets the State’s important climate, jobs and equity goals.