Number Three Wind, the first of over 20 renewable energy assets to reach operation in the Clean Path NY portfolio, will generate enough power for over 30,000 New York homes and help meet New York State’s Climate Act goal of 100% emission-free electricity by 2040.
May 4, 2023 — Invenergy and Clean Path NY partners, energyRe and the New York Power Authority (NYPA), today announced the completion of the 103.9-megawatt Number Three Wind Energy Center, marking the first Clean Path NY renewable generation asset to reach operation. Number Three Wind is one of more than 20 new wind and solar assets in Clean Path NY’s 3,800-megawatt renewable power portfolio, which will deliver 7.5 million megawatt-hours of emissions-free, clean electricity to New Yorkers every year. Clean Path NY is a first-of-its-kind renewable generation and transmission project and one of the largest clean energy infrastructure projects contracted by New York State in the last 50 years. Clean Path NY is a landmark public-private collaboration between Invenergy, an American-led developer, owner, and operator of sustainable energy solutions; New York-based renewable energy developer energyRe; and NYPA.
“With the completion of Number Three Wind construction, Invenergy is proud to contribute towards the nation-leading clean energy goals of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act,” said Invenergy’s Mick Baird, Executive Vice President, North American Development. “Through dedication, hard work and bold action from New York State, Number Three Wind is delivering clean energy to the grid today. As we look to 2030, we will continue to prioritize and accelerate the development and construction of visionary clean energy infrastructure projects – like Number Three Wind and Clean Path NY – in the pursuit of a sustainable, zero-emission future.”
“We are thrilled to celebrate Number Three Wind coming online to help create a more sustainable New York grid, while delivering benefits right here in Lewis County,” said Marguerite Wells, Vice President, Renewable Development, Invenergy. “Number Three Wind is the latest example of Invenergy's commitment to responsibly building a clean energy economy that invests in communities, creates jobs and delivers reliable, sustainable energy across the Empire State.”
“Clean Path NY is essential to a renewable, resilient, reliable energy future for New York, and the completion of Number Three Wind marks concrete progress toward our urgent climate goals,” said Luke Falk, Chief Operating Officer of Clean Path NY for energyRe. “Number Three Wind is evidence of Clean Path NY’s approach to a just and reliable energy transition, because real sustainability, robust economic development, and meaningful community partnership go hand in hand. energyRe is proud to advance New York’s bold promise of 100% emission-free electricity by 2040—and deliver the good-paying jobs, clean air, and dependable power New Yorkers deserve.”
“As a collaborator on the Clean Path NY project, we, at the New York Power Authority, are very pleased to see Number Three Wind energized,” said Phil Toia, President of NYPA Development, New York Power Authority. “The Clean Path NY solution brings together renewable generation, like the Number Three project, and 175 miles of planned new transmission, enabling more clean energy to reach more New Yorkers. Congratulations to the Invenergy and entire Clean Path NY team on Number Three.”
“The completion of Number Three Wind is a major milestone for Clean Path NY and represents tangible progress towards New York’s Climate Act goal of 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030,” said NYSERDA Vice President of Large-Scale Renewables, Georges Sassine. “This project’s impact goes far beyond the benefits it will bring the North Country region – ultimately supporting the delivery of clean power and significant public health and economic benefits to New Yorkers statewide.”
Located in Lewis County, Number Three Wind will provide locally sourced, clean electricity to the surrounding region and across the state. Number Three Wind represents over $220 million in total investment and is comprised of 27 wind turbines capable of generating 103.9 megawatts of clean energy – enough to power over 30,000 homes each year. In partnership with state and local labor unions, Number Three Wind commenced construction in August of 2021 and supported approximately 600 jobs throughout construction.
Notably, the project will provide more than $1 million a year in economic investment to the community. These funds will be shared by the towns of Lowville and Harrisburg, the Lowville and Copenhagen Central School Districts, Lewis County, and the Lewis County Economic Development Fund revolving loan program. In addition, Number Three Wind has partnered with Buffalo, New York-based M&T Community & Environmental Development Corp, an affiliate of M&T Bank, on a tax equity investment.
Number Three Wind was one of 11 projects to receive an award from NYSERDA in 2016 for the purchase of Tier 1 renewable energy certificates (RECs). Each Tier 1 REC represents the energy production of one megawatt-hour. Number Three Wind’s completion accelerates progress toward exceeding New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) goals for 70 percent the state’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030 and a 100 percent zero-emission electricity by 2040.
“We are pleased to celebrate Number Three Wind reaching operation here in our community,” said Cheyenne Steria, Director of Finance & Incentives, Lewis County IDA. “We appreciate Invenergy’s partnership and commitment to building a project that delivers benefits by generating new revenue streams, providing funding to our schools and public services, all while bringing job opportunities to the region. We have a long history of being renewable energy exporters and are proud to continue that tradition with a partner who has shown equal interest in supporting our community.”
Clean Path NY combines 175 miles of new state-of-the-art transmission with over 2,000 MW of new wind assets, including Number Three Wind, and 1,800 MW of new solar assets. The project also harnesses NYPA’s Blenheim-Gilboa pumped storage power project for enhanced resiliency and reliability. Clean Path NY is expected to generate $4.7 billion of in-state economic development and is estimated to create more than 8,300 good-paying in-state jobs. Upon expected operation, Clean Path NY will reduce fossil fuel-fired particulate matter emissions from New York’s electric grid by 20-22% annually and will avoid more than 49 million tons of CO2 emissions by 2040. Until then and even after the Clean Path NY transmission line begins operating, power from Number Three Wind and other future Clean Path NY renewable generation projects will be delivered locally into the grid, meeting energy needs for communities nearby and statewide.
Clean Path NY will modernize and unify New York’s energy grid, connecting communities across the state to clean energy from Clean Path NY and other sources of renewable energy, and transition New York away from fossil fuels through a more resilient and reliable electrical grid.
New York State selected Clean Path NY as a response to the New York State Energy Research Development and Authority's (NYSERDA) Tier 4 renewable energy solicitation issued in January 2021, seeking projects to cost-effectively and responsibly deliver renewable energy to New York’s Zone J, an area of the state that relies on aging fossil fuel-fired generation. Clean Path NY’s agreement with NYSERDA was signed in November 2021 and approved by the State Public Service Commission in April 2022. In October 2022, Clean Path NY filed for its Article VII permit, which includes a full review of the need for the project and any environmental impacts of the siting, design, construction and operation of major transmission facilities in New York State.
About Invenergy
Invenergy drives innovation in energy. Invenergy and its affiliated companies develop, own, and operate large-scale renewable and other clean energy generation and storage facilities in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Invenergy's home office is located in Chicago, and it has regional development offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Japan, Poland, and Scotland.
Invenergy and its affiliated companies have successfully developed more than 30,000 megawatts of projects that are in operation, construction or contracted, including wind, solar, transmission infrastructure and natural gas power generation and advanced energy storage projects. Learn about Invenergy at Invenergy.com.
About energyRe
energyRe, LLC is a leading independent clean energy company solving complex challenges and providing clean energy solutions in utility-scale offshore and onshore wind and solar generation, energy storage, transmission, and distributed generation. energyRe's founding investors include principals of Related Companies, one of the nation's most prominent privately-owned real estate firms and one of the country's largest creators and preservationists of affordable housing. energyRe is led by an experienced executive management team and is guided by the values of community engagement, government partnership, and a demonstrated commitment to sustainability. energyRe has offices in New York, Houston, Indianapolis, and Charleston. For more information about energyRe, visit www.energyre.com.
About NYPA
NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA owns and operates approximately one third of New York’s high voltage power lines. These lines transmit power from NYPA’s three large hydroelectric generation facilities and independent wind power generation facilities, connecting nearly 7,000 megawatts of renewable energy to New York State’s power grid. This includes connecting more than 6,300 megawatts of hydroelectric power and about 700 megawatts, or more than a third, of New York State generated wind energy to the grid. NYPA finances its operations with revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity and by the sale of bonds. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter @NYPAenergy, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and LinkedIn.
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