Overview
On Earth Day 2002, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) released a study showing that the wind resource off Long Island's southern shore has the potential to generate up to 5,200 megawatts (MW) of electricity – enough to meet more than 75% of Long Island's electricity needs. Following further studies and community outreach, LIPA issued a Request For Proposals to develop, construct, own and maintain a 100 to 140 MW offshore wind park. The output of the wind park will be used to supply clean, stable-priced energy to Long Island residents.
Many companies submitted proposals in response to LIPA's request, and Bluewater Wind was selected by LIPA as one of two finalists to build an offshore wind park for Long Island.
BluewaterWind's proposal was for 39 turbines more than six and a half miles off the coast, so that the wind park will only be faintly visible on the clearest of days. The total output of 140 MW wind park would be enough to supply the amount of electricity used by approximately 42,000 Long Island families.
Bluewater Wind believes that community input is vital to the project's success. In developing its proposal, Bluewater Wind met with government officials and community and environmental leaders to answer questions and receive input from a wide range of stakeholders. We heard from fishermen, homeowners, business leaders, preservationists, and others to ensure that we designed a wind park that is in harmony with Long Islanders' seascape and their experience of the south shore beaches.
Bluewater Wind is committed to a strong public-private partnership that ultimately secures a safe, clean energy future for Long Island.
