For the US to achieve its ambitious climate goals, carbon based energy must be replaced with electricity from renewable sources at a high pace. In the future, perhaps the iconic yellow taxis in New York's streets will run on electricity produced from offshore wind?
In 1969, yellow became a mandatory color for taxis in New York City. The purpose was to distinguish registered taxis from other cars picking up customers without a license. Ever since, yellow taxis have been one of the city’s iconic symbols, just like the Statue of Liberty and the red heart in “I Love NY”.
Since then, the yellow taxis have mainly been running on gasoline. In the 1980s and 1990s, Norway exported large quantities of oil to the US, so there’s a significant possibility that some of these taxis have been running on North Sea oil.
But a change is underway on the other side of the Atlantic. The United States, like most other nations, has set itself ambitious climate targets. New York is among those leading the way. The state has committed to reduce its emissions by 60% by 2030 compared to 1990. Reducing emissions and the use of fossil energy are necessary to reach the climate targets. And the clock is ticking.
It’s not just the yellow taxis that have been dependent on oil. The United States is today the world’s largest oil consumer and uses approximately 20% of all crude produced in the world.
For the Americans to succeed with their ambitions, renewable energy is central and offshore wind is one of the core areas. Equinor is a part of this, and together with our partners we are planning two offshore wind farms in New York: Empire Wind and Beacon Wind.
