Latest turbine technology boosts generation by nearly 30 percent, accelerating New York’s landmark climate goals
NEW YORK, April 20, 2022 – Brookfield Renewable U.S., a leading owner, operator and developer of renewable power in the nation, announced the completion of the repowering of three wind farms in New York. The wind repowering projects are the first of their kind to be executed in the state and leverage the latest wind turbine technology to produce renewable electricity more efficiently while helping to meet New York’s landmark climate goals.
The repowering of Brookfield Renewable’s 35-megawatt Steel Winds I and II Wind Farms, in Lackawanna and Hamburg, and the 125-megawatt Cohocton Wind Farm, in the town of Cohocton, entailed the replacement of the original turbines with the latest in blade and turbine technology. The projects’ efficiency gains boosted the annual renewable energy generation across the combined systems by nearly 30 percent, while maintaining the same number of units to minimize ground disturbance. The wind farms achieved full commercial operation in November and December 2021.
“These repowering projects – the first to be completed in the state – demonstrate Brookfield Renewable’s ability to optimize and extend the life of these aging assets and our continued support of New York’s Clean Energy Standard,” said Mitch Davidson, Chief Executive Officer of Brookfield Renewable U.S. “With Brookfield Renewable’s approximately 900 megawatts of renewable energy facilities in the state, we are pleased to continue playing an active role in the overall New York economy and aiding the state in achieving its decarbonization goals.”
Together, the Steel Winds I and II and Cohocton facilities now produce enough electricity to power more than 61,000 homes annually, avoiding the equivalent of 222,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, which is the same as removing approximately 48,000 passenger vehicles from the road for a year. The projects advance the state’s goal of obtaining 70 percent of its electricity needs from renewable energy resources by 2030 – the most aggressive climate change program in the nation – while also supporting green economy jobs and tax revenues for local communities. The Steel Winds I and II Wind Farms have brought jobs and economic activity back to the surrounding towns of Lackawanna and Hamburg, located south of Buffalo.
Doreen Harris, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, “Brookfield Renewable has long been a partner in advancing renewable energy in New York State, and repowering these critical large-scale wind energy projects represents another important step forward for achieving Governor Hochul’s goal to power our electricity system with increasing amounts of clean energy. NYSERDA continues to work closely with developers, including Brookfield Renewable, to see large-scale green infrastructure projects to completion in a responsible manner while ensuring local communities can realize the private investment and good-paying jobs that result from hosting them.”
Brookfield Renewable U.S.
Brookfield Renewable U.S., based in New York City, is a leading owner, operator and developer of renewable power, delivering innovative renewable power solutions that accelerate the world towards a sustainable, low-carbon future. Our diversified portfolio of hydropower, wind, solar and storage facilities extends across 34 states, totaling approximately 8,080 megawatts of generating capacity. Brookfield Renewable U.S.’s generating, trading and marketing businesses are a part of Toronto-based Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P., one of the world’s largest publicly traded renewable power platforms.
Media Contact:
Brookfield Renewable: Jonathan Crawford: (646) 992-2541, jonathan.crawford@brookfieldrenewable.com