After the state of New York tried to foster development of renewable, indigenous power sources, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) announced that it is formally beginning a process for obtaining up to 50,000 kilowatts (kw) of electricity from wind-powered projects.

The Power Authority is asking qualified parties to indicate their interest in receiving the Request for Proposals (RFP) on the basic requirements for submitting bids. The RFP process is open to owners or prospective developers of wind-powered facilities throughout the state. Prospective applicants should e-mail Jordan Brandeis (jordan.brandeis@nypa.gov), NYPA Director of supply planning and power contracts, for more information.

NYPA will distribute RFPs on Dec. 18 to parties responding to its inquiry, and hold a "pre-bid" conference in early January at its White Plains Office headquarters to review the process. Bids are expected to be selected no later than early 2003.

They must provide for the availability of wind power for periods of 10 or 15 years, at the Power Authority's discretion, beginning Jan. 1, 2005. Criteria for selection include cost of the power; the project's potential to create jobs during construction and operation and through the supply of economical electricity to businesses; possibility of attracting new energy equipment manufacturers to the state; and any potential environmental impact.

Governor George E. Pataki first announced the state's plans to purchase 50,000 kilowatts of wind power as part of a series of wind power initiatives unveiled last summer. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is providing more than $17 million to support the development of five wind farms, totaling 315,000 kw, throughout the state. NYSERDA is also providing funds to study the potential for developing the nation's first urban-integrated, shoreline wind farm along Erie County's shoreline. To date, NYSERDA has helped to develop 41,500 kw of wind power in New York State.

In 2001, the Governor issued an executive order requiring state agencies to obtain 10 percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2005 and 20 percent by 2010. Other sources of renewable power include solar photovoltaic units and fuel-cell installations powered by gas by-products from sewage treatment plants.