Directs the department of public service, in conjunction with the New York state energy research and development authority, and the power authority of the state of New York to commission a study on the utilization of directional noise reduction optimization technology for wind turbines in New York state.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8541
SPONSOR: Stirpe
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act directing the department of public service, New York state energy
research and development authority, and the power authority of the state
of New York to commission a study on the utilization of directional
noise reduction optimization technology for wind turbines in New York
state
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to better understand the use of DNRO tech-
nology on onshore wind renewable energy projects.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Requires the Department of Public Service, New York State
Energy Research and Development Authority, and the New. York Power
Authority to commission a study on the utilization of DNRO technology
for wind turbines in NYS.
Section 2. Stipulates specific requirements that must be a part of the
study.
Section 3. Provides that upon completion, recommendations shall be made,
if appropriate, as to any statutory or regulatory amendments needed.
Section 4. Provides that the study shall be commissioned within 180 days
of the effective date and recommendations provided to the legislature
within one year of such commissioning date.
Section 5. Sets an immediate effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Article VIII of the New York State Public Service Law (NY Pub. Serv.
Law § 160 et seq.) consolidates the environmental review, permitting,
and siting of major renewable energy facilities in the State and
includes specific requirements concerning sound levels for wind turbines
to ensure they operate within acceptable noise limits and minimize
impacts on surrounding communities. If noise levels exceed the permissi-
ble limits in Article VIII or other applicable laws, wind turbine opera-
tors must implement mitigation measures to reduce sound to acceptable
levels. These measures can include technological adjustments to the
turbines, such as curtailing turbine operation during certain times and
under certain wind conditions. These technological adjustments are often
referred to as Noise Reduced Operations or NROs. When a turbine operates
in an NRO mode, the turbine operates at reduced capacity with reduced
energy output. To address this loss of capacity, modern wind turbine
manufacturers offer Directional Noise Reduction Optimization or DNRO,
which activates these technological adjustments only when the wind
direction is within a certain range. While reducing noise in certain
directions, the turbine can still operate at optimal power in other wind
directions, which allows for noise mitigation without significantly
impacting power production in most wind conditions. DNRO represents an
innovative approach to managing noise emissions of wind turbines while
enhancing their operational efficiency. This study aims to provide the
necessary scientific and technical data to inform policy decisions and
ensure that New York State can maximize its renewable energy output
while maintaining compliance with noise regulations.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act would take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8541
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 20, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Energy
AN ACT directing the department of public service, New York state energy
research and development authority, and the power authority of the
state of New York to commission a study on the utilization of direc-
tional noise reduction optimization technology for wind turbines in
New York state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The department of public service, in conjunction with the
2 New York state energy research and development authority, and the power
3 authority of the state of New York shall commission a study on the
4 utilization of directional noise reduction optimization technology for
5 wind turbines in New York state. The study shall evaluate the effective-
6 ness of directional noise reduction optimization technology in reducing
7 noise levels and its impact on energy production as compared with other
8 operational methods of reducing wind turbine noise levels.
9 § 2. Such study shall include:
10 a. an assessment of current operational noise mitigation methods
11 implemented across New York State at currently operating wind facili-
12 ties;
13 b. an assessment of the current deployment of directional noise
14 reduction optimization in wind turbines within New York state and other
15 regions with similar conditions, as appropriate;
16 c. an analysis of existing peer-reviewed studies on directional noise
17 reduction optimization and related noise reduction technologies, if
18 available;
19 d. an analysis of current directional noise reduction optimization
20 technology, including existing directional noise reduction optimization
21 technologies and their effectiveness in different environmental condi-
22 tions;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11566-01-5
A. 8541 2
1 e. collaboration with existing wind facilities within New York state
2 to gather data on noise levels, turbine operations, and energy output,
3 at facilities implementing directional noise reduction optimization
4 compared with facilities implementing other noise mitigation methods;
5 and
6 f. a comparison of energy production of turbines with and without
7 directional noise reduction optimization implementation under various
8 operational conditions, including a comparison of energy production with
9 noise reduction techniques that more broadly apply these techniques in
10 all wind directions.
11 § 3. Upon completion of the study, the department of public service,
12 in conjunction with the New York state energy research and development
13 authority, and the power authority of the state of New York shall joint-
14 ly provide recommendations for the utilization of directional noise
15 reduction optimization technology in the state and, if appropriate,
16 suggest statutory or regulatory amendments needed to support the inte-
17 gration of directional noise reduction optimization in the state's
18 renewable energy strategy.
19 § 4. The study shall be commissioned within one hundred eighty days of
20 the effective date of this act and submitted, with recommendations, to
21 the legislature within one year from the date of such commissioning.
22 § 5. This act shall be effective immediately.