The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
(NYSERDA) is paving the way for offshore wind development across
New York State and setting an example for clean energy policy across
the country. NYSERDA is committed to bringing nine gigawatts of
offshore wind energy to New York State by 2035, enough to power
up to six million households.

For this first of its kind statewide mobilization, NYSERDA is committed
to informing, learning from, and garnering buy-in from stakeholders
across the state, including those who have been traditionally excluded
from planning processes and energy infrastructure development.
NYSERDA brought in Karp Strategies to develop a robust engagement
strategy to raise awareness and build support among stakeholders by
engaging New York State’s youth to spread information about this new
technology, its economic impacts, and its workforce opportunities and
environmental benefits.

Working collaboratively with NYSERDA’s Offshore Wind Team, Karp
Strategies designed, implemented, and conducted analysis for a
wide variety of stakeholder engagement activities both virtual and in
person. Our team led a stakeholder mapping process to thoughtfully
inform which engagement activities should be executed. Using
the findings of the stakeholder map, Karp Strategies developed
Guiding Principles for Stakeholder Engagement for Offshore Wind, a
framework for energy developers to inclusively and effectively connect
with communities and businesses, and the Offshore Wind Youth
Action Program (OWYA), a free resource to educate young people
about offshore wind. Karp Strategies engaged educators, high-school
and middle-school students, and climate justice experts to ensure that
OWYA reflects the needs and interests of those who will use it. The
result is a detailed and engaging free educational tool that inspires
young people to learn about and get involved in their clean energy
future.