NYDEC Climate Justice Working Group to Meet on Feb 11 2025

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DEC Climate Justice Working Group to Meet

What:  The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC)  Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG) will hold a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025.

The CJWG establishes criteria for identifying disadvantaged communities (DACs) for the purposes of co-pollutant reductions, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, regulatory impact statements, and the allocation of investments pursuant to the Climate Act.

This meeting will include the approval of minutes from the previous meeting(s) and continued deliberation on revisions to the current DAC criteria. Members of the public are welcome to listen to the meeting via webcast. 

Pre-registration is strongly encouraged and can be done by clicking the WebEx link below.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual –  WebEx meeting and registration link
Webinar password: welcome2.11.25 (93526632 when dialing from a phone or video system)
Audio: Dial 1-929-251-9612 (New York City); Dial 1-415-527-5035
Access code: 2820 457 6072
In-Person: Event locations, times, and partners include: NY Green Bank, Alistair W.C. Clark Boardroom,1333 Broadway, Suite 300, New York, NY 10018
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Headquarters, Parker D. Mathusa Boardroom, 17 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY 12203
Brooklyn Heights Public Library, 286 Cadman Plaza W, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Broome County Public Library Exhibit Room, 185 Court Street, Binghamton, NY 13901
DEC Region 8 Office, 6274 East Avon-Lima Rd., Avon, NY 14414
Additional Information: This meeting will also be recorded and posted on the Climate Act website  within three days, or as soon as practicable.
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Fourth offshore wind solicitation cancelled by NJ after Shell’s exit

By Mike Schuler, gCaptain

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has canceled its fourth offshore wind solicitation amid significant market challenges and Shell’s withdrawal from the Atlantic Shores project.

The solicitation, which initially targeted between 1,200 MW and 4,000 MW of capacity, faced setbacks when two of three bidders withdrew, leaving Atlantic Shores as the sole remaining participant.

BPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy cited Shell’s exit as an equity partner and uncertainty in federal actions and permitting as key factors in the decision. “The Board concluded that an award in New Jersey’s fourth offshore wind solicitation, despite the manifold benefits the industry offers to the state, would not be a responsible decision at this time,” she stated.

BPU’s decision and Shell’s departure, which comes with a $996 million impairment, reflects broader challenges in the U.S. offshore wind sector.

Read the full story here

Related: Murphy supports BPU decision

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China surpasses 2030 renewables target six years early

By Tom Chivers, Semafor

China broke its own records for renewable energy installation in 2024, boosting solar capacity by 45.2% after an already breakneck 2023. Wind capacity leaped by 18%, also a record.

It means Beijing surpassed its 2030 renewables target six years early.

China emits the most carbon of any country, but scientists believe its emissions may have peaked, and its renewable energy production is expected to outstrip coal within five years.

While the US has also been rolling out large amounts of renewables, the industry “is facing headwinds” from President Donald Trump’s administration, The Associated Press reported: One analyst said China, the world’s biggest supplier of batteries, solar panels, and wind turbines, is “poised to lead the world in the energy transition.”

If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for a full month.

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PA Governor Josh Shapiro rolls out plan to fast-track and subsidize power plants and hydrogen projects

By MARC LEVY, Associated Press

Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday that he wants to fast-track the construction of big power plants in Pennsylvania and offer hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks for projects that provide electricity to the grid and use hydrogen.

Shapiro’s announcement comes a few days before he delivers his third budget proposal to lawmakers amid an energy crunch that threatens to raise electricity bills across Pennsylvania, the nation’s second-biggest natural gas-producing state.

Shapiro, a Democrat, said he wants to start the “next chapter in Pennsylvania’s long story of energy leadership” and keep pace with other states that are attracting big projects, such as data centers and electric vehicle factories.

“Pennsylvania, it’s time for us to be more competitive. It’s time for us to act. We need to take some big and decisive steps right now, build new sources of power so Pennsylvania doesn’t miss out,” Shapiro said at a news conference at Pittsburgh International Airport.

Shapiro said Pennsylvania is one of just 12 states that doesn’t have an entity to fast-track siting decisions for energy projects. He wants to change that by creating the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Siting and Electric Transition Board to streamline permitting and support for new energy projects.

Read the full story here

If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for a full month.

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Once wind-energy darling Ørsted replaces CEO as stock price sags

Wind turbines at Ørsted’s Block Island wind farm off Rhode Island.
reuters logo

COPENHAGEN, Jan 31 (Reuters) – Ørsted Chief Executive Mads Nipper will step down to be replaced by company insider Rasmus Errboe, the world’s biggest offshore wind developer said on Friday, as it seeks to arrest an 83% slump in its share price since its 2021 peak.

The Danish renewables firm has been crucial to establishing a European industry for wind at sea, but the industry has struggled in recent years with rising costs, supply chain bottlenecks, higher interest rates, and regulatory changes.

Its push into the nascent U.S. market has also proved challenging, resulting in delays and impairment charges, and has been complicated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s outspoken opposition to wind power. Trump has suspended federal offshore wind leasing pending an environmental and economic review.

Nipper, who took the helm in January 2021, faced questions over his stewardship as losses mounted and the share price fell.

“The impacts on our business of the increasingly challenging situation in the offshore wind industry … mean that our focus has shifted,” Ørsted Chair Lene Skole said in a statement, without elaborating.

“Therefore, the board has today agreed with Mads Nipper that it’s the right time for him to step down.”

The former oil and gas company’s woes reflect the changing fortunes of wind power globally as soaring costs, delays and limited supply chain investment prompt investors to reassess the speed of the energy transition.

Once a green investor favorite, Ørsted’s market value stood at $15.1 billion at Thursday’s close, a far cry from its peak of $93.9 billion in January 2021, LSEG data shows

If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for a full month.

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Shell exits NJ’s 1st offshore wind farm. Can project survive?


By Steven Rodas | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Shell has effectively withdrawn from New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm, Atlantic Shores — marking the latest major setback to the state’s clean energy ambitions.

Spokespeople told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that the developer remained committed to the project.

At the end of last year, Atlantic Shores (made up of both Shell New Energies US and EDF Renewables North America) noted that its plans for nearly 200 wind turbines were on schedule.

The CEO of the developer also said construction on the wind farm — set to be built roughly 8 to 20 miles off the coast of New Jersey between Atlantic City and Barnegat Light — could begin some time in 2025.

It’s unclear if that timeline remains intact after Shell’s Chief Financial Officer said in an earnings call Thursday that the company would, while retreating from the project, write-off of nearly $1 billion. That financially signals a significant pivot from previous plans.

Read the full story here

Related:
In win for Trump, oil giant Shell walks away from offshore wind farm (AC Press)
Shell Takes $1 Billion Hit on Wind Farm Trump Wants ‘Dead’ (Bloomberg)

If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for a full month.

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