For the first time on Long Island, a symposium was held today at the Smithtown Sheraton to explore the viability of harnessing offshore wind power to generate electricity for Long Island.

The symposium, which was sponsored by the Long Island Offshore Wind Initiative (LIOWI), focused on the viability of developing a group of wind turbines off Long Island's South Shore that will generate approximately 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity, and the regulatory and environmental issues that must be addressed to advance the project’s development to completion.

The Symposium included a general session that reviewed the findings of a study recently conducted by LIPA and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The study, entitled Long Island's Offshore Wind Energy Development: A Preliminary Assessment, found that offshore wind resources have the potential of creating some 5200 megawatts (MW) of electricity, which is enough to supply Long Island with nearly all of its electricity requirements.

Among those attending the symposium were members of LIOWI's founding organizations, local elected, regulatory and environmental officials, civic leaders, and wind generation industry representatives who were able to speak with experience about developing large-scale wind generation projects.

LIOWI's founding organizations include: the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA); Long Island Neighborhood Network; Sustainable Energy Alliance; Citizens Campaign for the Environment; STAR Foundation; New York Public Interest Research Group; the Citizens Advisory Panel and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The general session included a video message from New York Governor George Pataki and opening remarks by LIPA Chairman, Richard M. Kessel. Afterward overview sessions were held on issues that will need to be addressed as part of the project development process. These sessions included a review of regulatory and environmental requirements, community concerns, industry observations and generation technology review. Following the overview sessions a series of concurrent breakout sessions were held to review and discuss the issues raised during the overview sessions. A concluding session brought symposium attendees back together to sum up the primary issues identified during the breakout session dialogues.

The symposium closed with a Wind Industry presentation and discussion for wind developers and manufacturers, followed by closing remarks by Richard M. Kessel, LIPA Chairman and Gordian Raacke, Executive Director of the Citizens Advisory Panel.

It is anticipated that the Phase-Two Study will be completed before the end of the year and that LIPA will issue an RFP for offshore wind turbine development in the fall. In the meantime, LIPA and the Wind Initiative partners will continue to identify issues of concern.