Solicitations for Large-Scale Renewables

2024 RES Solicitation for Tier 1 RECs

NYSERDA has launched the eighth annual Renewable Energy Standard (RES) request for proposals, RESRFP24-1, to continue accelerating progress toward Governor Hochul’s target of generating 70 percent of New York State’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Through the 2024 solicitation, NYSERDA seeks to procure Tier 1 eligible Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from eligible facilities that enter commercial operation on or after January 1, 2015, and on or before November 30, 2026, unless extended to November 30, 2029.

RESRFP24-1 will be implemented through a two-step process, consisting of:

Step One Eligibility Application: A qualifying step through which the proposer must provide evidence that the Bid Facility is Tier 1 eligible and other general information about the Proposer and the Bid Facility. All Step One Eligibility Applications must be submitted via the RESRFP24-1 solicitation website and were due by Monday, July 15, 2024 at 3 p.m. EDT.
Step Two Bid Proposal: A competitive Bid Proposal step, through which NYSERDA will:

Examine Bid Proposals to determine whether they demonstrate that the Bid Facility and Proposer meet the Minimum Threshold Requirements; and
For Bid Proposals that meet those Minimum Threshold Requirements, perform a competitive evaluation based on price and non-price factors.

NYSERDA has garnered competitive interest in RESRFP24-1 Step Two Bid Proposals, the deadline for which was August 8, 2024. NYSERDA received bids from 38 projects, comprising 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of capacity. NYSERDA is evaluating the bids and intends to make public versions of the bids available on NYSERDA’s website.

Proposers are expected to be notified of initial awards by the end of September 2024.

RESRFP24-1 Proposers’ Webinar

NYSERDA hosted a webinar on this RFP and the submittal process for potential proposers on Thursday, June 27, 2024. View the RESRFP24-1 Proposers’ Webinar slides [PDF].

Associated Documents

2024 RES Solicitation Request for Information (RESRFI24-1)

Interested stakeholders were invited to review and comment on proposed updates and modifications to the 2024 Tier 1 solicitation (RESRFP24-1) under this Request for Information (RFI). This feedback assisted NYSERDA in finalizing the solicitation prior to its release.

Large-Scale Renewables Request for Information RESRFI24-1

This RFI comment period was opened from April 29, 2024 through May 13, 2024.

Recent Solicitations

Information on the most recent RES solicitations is available here:

Aggregate RES and Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) information is available on the Filings, Orders, and Reports Webpage and the Large-Scale Renewables Open NY database Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. .

NYSERDA continues to work actively with communities hosting awarded renewable projects to ensure they have the tools they need to make informed decisions regarding project development. For more information on renewable energy development and education, please contact [email protected] and consult the Renewable Energy Standard solicitation FAQs [PDF] and Clean Energy Siting for Local Governments resources.

Project Siting and Permitting Resources

These resources can help inform proposers’ decisions regarding project siting for future solicitations.

Disadvantaged Communities

The Climate Act directs the Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG) to establish criteria for defining Disadvantaged Communities. On March 27, 2023, the CJWG voted to finalize Disadvantaged Communities criteria. Additional resources for identifying Disadvantaged Communities are located on the New York Climate Act website . This interactive map identifies areas throughout the State that meet the final criteria identified for a disadvantaged community.

Final Disadvantaged Communities Interactive Map Tool Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page.

Agricultural Mitigation Resources

In order to facilitate the protection of agricultural lands in the state’s Agricultural Districts, Proposers awarded under RESRFP24-1 may be responsible for making an agricultural mitigation payment to a designated fund based on the extent to which the solar project footprint overlaps with New York’s highest quality agricultural soils, identified as Mineral Soil Groups classifications 1 through 4 (MSG 1-4). This mitigation approach intends to set a benchmark for potential agricultural mitigation payments, which solar project developers may be able to reduce by minimizing the facility’s impact on MSG 1-4 and/or introducing or retaining agricultural productivity on the project site. Instances where Proposers cannot avoid or minimize impacts on MSG 1-4 will result in a payment to a fund administered by NYSERDA in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Markets to support ongoing regional agricultural practices.

An interactive map of statewide MSG 1-4 is available at the link below for the use of Proposers and other interested parties.

NYSERDA 2024 Soils Data for use in the Large-Scale Renewables and NY-Sun Programs Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page.

Operational Flexibility and Grid Resources

The following NYSERDA, DPS, and NYISO studies and stakeholder proceedings are encouraged for use to inform Proposers’ due diligence. Proposers should note that these resources are subject to additional updates and may be amended by other applicable studies and/or updated assessments and public data.

In 2020, New York State passed the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act [PDF] to accelerate progress towards the State’s nation-leading clean energy goals. The Act instructed the State to conduct a Power Grid Study to inform transmission system investments that will be necessary to achieve the clean energy goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act). The Power Grid Study is comprised of three component studies: 1) a joint utilities study on local transmission and distribution needs; 2) an offshore wind study of bulk-power transmission needs; and 3) a statewide transmission analysis to achieve the Climate Act goals. To read the studies, review public comments, and engage in the public process, visit the Department of Public Service Matter Master 20-00905/20-E-0197 Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. or access the studies below.