The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced plans to investigate potential renewable energy developments at two currently underutilized locations, alongside committing over USD 5 million (EUR 4.66m) towards advancing long-duration energy storage projects.
In an official statement released on Thursday, NYSERDA disclosed that it has entered memoranda of understanding with Tompkins County in the Southern Tier and Niagara County in Western New York. These agreements aim to assess the feasibility of deploying renewable energy initiatives at these sites.
The first site under consideration spans 67 acres northeast of the runways at Ithaca Tompkins International Airport, owned by Tompkins County in Lansing. Discussions include the potential installation of a combined solar and battery energy storage system.
The second memorandum pertains to the 60-acre Witmer Road Landfill in Wheatfield, which operated from 1969 to 1976 and is now closed and capped. NYSERDA is evaluating the feasibility of developing a solar project on this site.
These agreements enable NYSERDA's Build-Ready Program to conduct comprehensive due diligence and engage with the local communities to evaluate the viability of these large-scale renewable energy projects.
Governor Kathy Hochul, in an announcement the previous day, highlighted the availability of more than USD 5 million specifically allocated for long-duration energy storage (LDES) projects through New York's Renewable Optimization and Energy Storage Innovation Program. This funding, administered by NYSERDA, aims to support competitive proposals focusing on LDES solutions, including technologies that have yet to reach commercialization.
Governor Hochul emphasized, “This funding opportunity aligns with our state's commitment to achieving the ambitious energy storage targets outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, including installing 3,000 MW of energy storage capacity by 2030.”
Interested parties are invited to submit their project proposals by September 24, 2024.
