Saving Seafood

NEW JERSEY: NJ’s 4th offshore wind solicitation awards no bids (updated)

February 5, 2025 — In the latest sign of industry headwinds, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) announced Feb. 3 it was not making any awards in the state’s fourth offshore wind solicitation.

“The Board will not proceed with an award in New Jersey’s fourth offshore wind solicitation,” said NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “There were three initial bids in the fourth solicitation. However, two bidders withdrew and only Atlantic Shores submitted a best and final offer.”

As NJBIZ reported in July, Atlantic Shores rebid Project 1 – which already has Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificates (OREC) – bundled with Project 2. The effort has been slated as New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm. Officials said that the proposal aimed at providing a more resilient, competitive and sustainable path through the advanced permitting program.

Read the full article at NJ Biz

VIRGINIA: Cost of Virginia Beach wind farm jumps almost $1 billion, with increase passed onto customers

February 4, 2025 — The estimated cost of Dominion Energy’s 2.6-gigawatt Virginia Beach offshore wind farm has increased about 9%, which will mean a 43-cent increase on an average monthly residential power bill.

In a Monday announcement, Dominion said the total cost estimate of its wind farm had increased from $9.8 billion to $10.7 billion. The cost increase is due to higher network upgrade costs assigned by PJM, the regional electric grid operator, as well as higher onshore electrical interconnection costs, according to the statement.

“Higher network upgrade cost estimates by PJM reflect the significant increase in demand growth that require incremental generation and transmission resources across the system,” Dominion said in the statement.

Read the full article at The Virginian-Pilot

NEW JERSEY: Another blow to NJ’s offshore wind industry

February 3, 2025 — Oil giant Shell announced Thursday it’s pausing its involvement in what is set to be the state’s first offshore wind farm, Atlantic Shores.

“Hopefully the project is dead and gone, as almost all unsightly and environmentally unsound Windmill project should be,” President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

“First Ørsted pulled out of these projects, and now Shell is following suit,” said U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd). “They are beginning to realize what we have been saying all along: these projects are not a practical or viable solution for our energy needs. The promises made by the offshore wind industry were always too good to be true…”

Read the full article at the NJ Spotlight News

Ørsted Ousts CEO as Pressure Continues in Offshore Wind Sector

February 3, 2025 — Danish renewable energy giant Ørsted reported today, January 31, a change in CEOs as the company continues to struggle with pressures in the offshore wind sector. The news of the change in leadership came just days after Ørsted reported it would be taking a further $1.7 billion in impairment charges related to its U.S. offshore wind projects following a massive $5.6 billion write-down in November 2023.

The board of directors announced that the company was replacing Mads Nipper who had led the company as Group President and CEO since January 2021. They reported he is stepping down effective tomorrow, February 1, but acknowledged during his four-year tenure Ørsted’s installed renewable capacity grew from 11.3 GW to the current 18.2 GW in 2025.

“The renewable energy market has fundamentally changed since January 2021. The impacts on our business of the increasingly challenging situation in the offshore wind industry, ranging from supply chain bottlenecks, interest rate increases, to a changing regulatory landscape, mean that our focus has shifted. Therefore, the board has today agreed with Mads Nipper that it’s the right time for him to step down, and the board has appointed Rasmus Errboe to take over as CEO,” announced Lene Skole, Chair of Ørsted’s Board of Directors.

Read the full article at The Maritime Executive

NEW JERSEY: Shell pulls out of N.J.’s 1st offshore wind farm. Is project now at risk?

January 31, 2025 — Shell has effectively withdrawn from New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm, Atlantic Shores — marking the latest major setback to the state’s clean energy ambitions.

Spokespeople told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that the developer remained committed to the project.

At the end of last year, Atlantic Shores (made up of both Shell New Energies US and EDF Renewables North America) noted that its plans for nearly 200 wind turbines were on schedule.

The CEO of the developer also said construction on the wind farm — set to be built roughly 8 to 20 miles off the coast of New Jersey between Atlantic City and Barnegat Light — could begin some time in 2025.

Read the full article at NJ.com

MAINE: Maine Republican legislators write Trump asking for further action to stop offshore wind

January 31, 2025 —  Maine Republican legislators wrote a letter to President Donald Trump thanking him for his recent action on offshore wind and asking him to take it a step further.

The letter sent Thursday was authored by Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport). Offshore wind was a key issue for Paul in her reelection campaign last year after the state announced its hopes to build a port in her district to support its larger goals to develop 3,000 megawatts of offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine by 2040.

“Common sense, economics and environmental concerns are against the offshore wind projects proposed by Democrats for the Gulf of Maine,” Paul said in a news release Thursday, noting her appreciation for Trump’s swift action on the matter.

She went on to say that she and her Republican legislative colleagues “are asking his administration to finish the job before irrevocable harm is inflicted on marine wildlife, coastal communities and our quality of life.”

Read the full article at Maine Morning Star

NEW JERSEY: Wind farm developer said project will continue despite loss of major investor

January 31, 2025 — The developer behind a major New Jersey offshore wind farm said it will continue with the project even after its partner said Thursday it is withdrawing and writing off $1 billion in losses.

Atlantic Shores was in a 50-50 partnership with Shell New Energies to develop a combined 4,310 megawatts of offshore wind capacity in two areas roughly 8.4 miles off New Jersey’s coast. Shell said Thursday it is ending its involvement in the project.

“While we can’t comment on the views of shareholders, Atlantic Shores intends to continue progressing New Jersey’s first offshore wind project and our portfolio in compliance with our obligations to local, state and federal partners under existing leases and relevant permits,” Atlantic Shores said in a statement.

Read the full article at the New Jersey Monitor

Vineyard Wind must replace Canada-made turbine blades with blades made in France

January 30, 2025 — Vineyard Wind 1 is once again turning wind into electricity, even as its developer works to meet a federal mandate requiring the removal of turbine blades made at the Canadian factory where the faulty blade that collapsed last summer was produced.

Company spokesman Craig Gilvarg confirmed that one turbine is back in operation, capable of producing about 13.6 megawatts when running at full capacity.

“Vineyard Wind 1 is delivering power from one turbine, which has met the project’s stringent safety and operational conditions,” he said.

Recently, the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement fully lifted the suspension order it had placed on the project following the July 13 blade collapse at wind turbine generator AW-38 that sent debris crashing into the ocean. The action comes a little more than a month after the agency permitted installation of the first three turbine blades since the incident.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Jan. 17 also approved a revised construction and operations plan with conditions for Vineyard Wind 1, which will produce 800 megawatts of energy from 62 turbines when completed.

A root-cause analysis of the blade failure conducted by the manufacturer and installer, GE Vernova, found that the collapse was the result of a “manufacturing deviation” at the factory in Gaspé, Canada — specifically, failed bonding of materials. Although the bureau is continuing its own investigation, the revised plan acknowledges manufacturing errors in calling for Vineyard Wind to remove all Canadian-made blades installed on up to 22 turbine generators prior to the July 13 failure.

Read the full article at Cape Cod Times

US offshore wind farms in service, in construction and under development

January 27, 2025 — U.S. President Donald Trump suspended new federal offshore wind leasing on his first day back in the Oval Office on Jan. 20, pending an environmental and economic review.

On the same day, Danish energy company Orsted,  the world’s biggest offshore wind firm, posted another impairment charge on delays to a U.S. offshore project.

Those are just the latest blows for the offshore wind industry that former President Joe Biden and several states considered key to meeting federal and state clean energy targets.

In California, where offshore wind is in early stages of development, Adam Stern, Executive Director of Offshore Wind California, an industry trade group, said most of the work was happening at the state level.

Read the full article at Reuters

MASSACHUSETTS: The future for New Bedford scallopers: ‘Tough year ahead’

January 27, 2025 — Federal regulations, the new Trump Administration, the economy, climate, and offshore wind all play a part in the livelihood of South Coast scallopers and the most lucrative port in the nation. Watch the full Chat here to learn more.

Offshore Wind Farms: A Growing Concern

The panel highlighted concerns over offshore wind development, with many citing its impact on scallop habitats. The recent moratorium on new offshore wind leases and reviews of existing projects was welcomed by the panel.

“Wind farms change currents,” said Eric Hansen. “All scallop larvae, when they’re first born, are floating in the currents. It’s gonna change where they settle. It’s gonna change where the predators are because you change the environment.”

Tony Alvernaz expressed skepticism about whether turbines could ever be removed completely. “Even if they were to be decommissioned, decommissioning them basically means cutting them off at 15 feet above the ground,” he explained. “The rocks around them are there forever, and it’s a dead zone for fishing pretty much.”

Jim Kendall shared his experiences working with Vineyard Wind, noting that the company made efforts to engage with local fishermen. However, he contrasted this with other companies that have not shown the same level of respect or concern for the fishing industry.

Declining Scallop Stocks

Scallop landings have declined significantly, with Hansen reporting that total landings are expected to be 15–18 million pounds this year, down from the 40–60 million pounds typically landed in previous years.

“The total landing is going to be down even with the increased days of sea fishing going from 20 to 24,” Hansen said. “The catch per day is down so much we would need 30 or 40 days to catch what we used to catch in 20.”

Surveys have shown high numbers of juvenile scallops, which could lead to a recovery in the future. “If they all survive and grow, we are looking to rebound in a couple of years,” Hansen said, adding that the fishery could recover by 2027.

Northern Edge Closure Frustrates Fishermen

The Northern Edge of Georges Bank, a scallop-rich area, has been closed to fishing for decades, a decision that continues to frustrate many in the industry. The area was designated as a habitat area of particular concern (HAPC) for groundfish spawning, but fishermen argue that there is little evidence to justify the closure.

“The surveys that we’ve done hardly show any fish up there,” said Alvernaz. “The justification is insane.”

Hansen explained that the closure was tied to protecting cobble and gravel habitat thought to be important for codfish spawning. However, he acknowledged that the science on codfish presence in the area is limited.

Economic Pressures on Scallopers

Alvernaz detailed the rising costs of operating scallop boats, including higher prices for gear, fuel, and maintenance. “It cost me $60,000 last year to paint one boat,” he said. “And with quotas down, it’s foolish to run boats for such little return.”

The panel discussed potential solutions, including allowing multiple permits on a single boat, which would reduce inefficiencies. “It cost me $60,000 last year just to paint one boat,” Alvernaz reiterated, adding that operating at current quota levels is becoming unsustainable.

Japanese Scallops and Market Pressure

The panel also touched on the impact of Japanese scallop imports, which have introduced significant competition for smaller scallops in the U.S. market. Hansen noted that Japanese scallops are priced at around $12 per pound, making it difficult for American fishermen to compete.

“The 25 to 30 per pound scallops from Japan are driving the price down for our smaller scallops,” Hansen said.

Offshore Wind and the Need for Studies

The panel emphasized the importance of scientific research to assess the impact of offshore wind farms on the scallop fishery. Hansen stressed the need for baseline studies to document the state of the environment before more wind projects are developed.

“For a baseline study, you need five to ten years of data,” Hansen said. “We’re late in getting the data to judge impacts.”

Alvernaz added that scallop larvae can attach to structures like turbines, which may create changes in where scallops settle over time.

Looking Ahead

The panelists concluded by expressing the need for continued dialogue and action to address these challenges. “We’ve been through tough times before,” said Kendall, “and we’ll get through this too.”

As the scallop industry faces an uncertain future, fishermen, scientists, and policymakers will need to collaborate to find solutions that protect livelihoods and ensure the sustainability of the fishery.

Watch the full chat at The New Bedford Light