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NEW JERSEY: US gives key approval to Atlantic Shores offshore wind farm in New Jersey

July 8, 2024 — The U.S. Interior Department approved the proposed Atlantic Shores offshore wind farm in New Jersey on Tuesday, giving a major boost to a project that would be the state’s first.

The project still requires an additional federal approval of its construction and operations plan, along with two state-level permits, before construction can begin.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said the department’s decision marked the ninth offshore wind project approved under the Biden administration, green-lighting 13 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power 5 million homes.

“The Biden-Harris administration is building momentum every day for our clean energy future, and today’s milestone is yet another step toward our ambitious goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore energy by 2030,” she said in a statement. “Our clean energy future is now a reality. We are addressing climate change, fostering job growth, and promoting equitable economic opportunities for all communities.”

Read the full article at the Associated Press 

Two offshore wind projects off Martha’s Vineyard win federal approval for construction

July 2, 2024 — Two offshore wind farms immediately southwest of Vineyard Wind have received federal approval to begin construction.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has approved a construction and operations plan for New England Wind 1 and 2, formerly called Park City Wind and Commonwealth Wind.

The projects won their main federal approval back in April — a Record of Decision documenting assessments by multiple agencies. But to build, they still needed the bureau’s final approval announced today.

Read the full article at CAI

New England Wind projects slated for construction

July 2, 2024 — Construction of wind projects off the coast of the Vineyard is starting to ramp up.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved construction and operations plans for two major offshore wind projects recently: Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind received permission in late June, with Avangrid’s New England Wind receiving approvals this week.

Eighty-four turbines are planned for Sunrise Wind, with a capacity of producing 924 megawatts. The project could power more than 320,000 homes, according to the federal energy agency. It’s located around 18 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, and will be providing power to New York.

According to Ørsted, offshore wind construction will “ramp up” later this year, and Sunrise Wind is expected to be fully operational by 2026.

Meanwhile, the federal approval for New England Wind — consisting of two projects called New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2 — is expected to have a total power capacity of 2,600 megawatts of energy, and could power more than 900,000 homes annually, according to the federal energy agency.

Read the full article at MV Times

MASSACHUSETTS: A million acres of ocean for offshore wind: ‘Wow, that’s awfully close to Cape Cod.’

July 1, 2024 — As a July 1 deadline approached for comments to be submitted to the federal government regarding a proposal to auction offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Maine — including off the outermost Cape towns — the region’s leaders wanted more time to weigh in.

The Cape & Islands Municipal Leaders Association, an organization of 105 elected officials representing all 22 towns on the Cape, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, has sent a letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management requesting to extend the deadline to July 22.

BOEM opened the public comment period on the proposed sale notice for leases on May 1, a day after announcing its plan for first-time ever offering of nearly a million ocean acres in the Gulf of Maine for offshore wind production.

“This comment period extension will allow for additional public meetings to address comments and concerns and provide for a more streamlined permitting, construction and operation of what is likely the most significant investment in energy facilities ever to be made,” the association’s June 25 letter reads.

Read the full article at Yahoo News!

 

New England Wind Gets BOEM Approval as Pace Accelerates in US Offshore Wind

July 1, 2024 — The pace of approvals for the U.S. offshore wind sector continues to accelerate after years of review and planning. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced its second approval, this time the construction and operation plan for Avangrid’s New England Wind, in just a matter of weeks. BOEM highlights that it is working to support the development of the industry both through reviews and approvals as well as scheduling more offshore auctions.

A portion of the site was included in an April 2015 auction agreement to then Vineyard Wind. Since then, Avangrid which is part of Iberdrola, has realigned the portfolio in the wind zone off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and gained BOEM approval to assign portions of different leases including from Park City Wind to create the projects now known as New England Wind 1 and 2. The area also incorporates the former Commonwealth Wind, the project for which Avangrid canceled its power purchase agreements in 2023.  The two projects are covered by a joint Construction and Operation plan which received final approval today after a favorable Record of Decision in April.

Read the full article at The Maritime Executive

VIRGINIA: Federal government will auction off another offshore wind site in Virginia

July 1, 2024 — The 176,000-acre lease area is located directly east of where Dominion Energy is already building the nation’s largest offshore wind farm.

The federal government announced Friday that it will soon auction off two more offshore wind energy leases in the central Atlantic Ocean — including one off the coast of Virginia just east of Dominion Energy’s wind farm already under construction.

The Biden administration said in a news release that the auction on August 14 is part of its effort to fight climate change by expanding access to renewable energy sources. Under the current administration, the Interior Department has approved eight commercial-scale wind energy projects in federal waters.

The upcoming auction includes a 101,443-acre area about 26 miles off the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware.

Read the full article at WHRO

MASSACHUSETTS: As new wind lease areas are eyed off Cape Cod, leaders seek ‘a seat at the table’

June 28, 2028 —  Three ocean areas east of Cape Cod may be some of the next marine real estate to be auctioned for offshore wind energy production, with some turbines possibly distantly visible, in very clear conditions, from the Atlantic Ocean bluffs in Truro.

Located due east of Wellfleet and Truro, the areas total 363,305 acres starting about 24 miles offshore and stretching eastward. They are among eight potential lease areas — adding up to nearly a million acres — that the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has delineated for offshore wind projects off the coasts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

In anticipation of the sale, local legislators are working to ensure the outermost Cape towns are part of the discussion and residents are kept well-informed. The federal government is also gathering public comments.

Read the full article at Cape Cod Times

Sunrise Wind cleared to start construction

June 27, 2024 — Another industrial offshore wind farm off the coast of the Vineyard is preparing to start construction.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved Sunrise Wind’s construction and operations plan on June 21, according to a press release from the agency. This is the final approval the project needed from BOEM.

According to Ørsted, offshore wind construction will “ramp up” later this year and Sunrise Wind is expected to be fully operational by 2026.

Sunrise Wind, an offshore wind project owned by Ørsted, will consist of 84 wind turbines and produce 924 megawatts of power. According to BOEM, that is enough to power over 320,000 homes annually. The project lease area is located around 18 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard and will be providing power to New York. By comparison, Sunrise Wind will be located around 30 miles east of Montauk, New York.

Read the full article at The Martha’s Vineyard Times

Ten Vineyard Wind turbines operating; Sunrise Wind construction approved

June 27, 2024 — The Vineyard Wind 1 project off southern New England now has 10 turbines in operation and is on track to soon install the 22nd turbine on the first utility-scale offshore wind project in U.S. waters, developer Avangrid Inc. said Tuesday.

“With 10 turbines now in operation, Avangrid is delivering enough clean energy to power more than 60,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. “Our Vineyard Wind 1 project continues to demonstrate the significant benefits that offshore wind offers the New England region, delivering well-paying union jobs, local investment, and clean energy that is helping Massachusetts meet its growing demand for electricity.”

With a nameplate rating of 136 megawatts the 10 turbines are the leading edge of the project with 47 foundations and transition pieces and 21 turbines already installed toward the total of 62 generators. When complete the project will be rated at 806 MW.

Read the full article at WorkBoat

VIRGINIA: As offshore wind installation rises, Dominion showcases environmental, economic benefits

June 25, 2024 — On a recent summer day, under blue skies, a 272-feet tall, 31-feet wide, 1,500-ton steel cylinder was being pushed into the ocean floor 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.

The process will be repeated for months as Dominion Energy builds the country’s largest offshore wind project.

“It’s really cool,” said John Larson, director of public policy and economic development for Dominion, who was watching the action from a boat about 1,600 feet away. “In your career, you don’t get to work on a lot of 10-year projects and actually see it happen.”

Larson and others involved in the $9.8 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project were showcasing the project’s construction and economic benefits while trying to allay environmental concerns during a tour of the work with area reporters.

The State Corporation Commission, Virginia’s utility regulators, approved the project seen as critical in the transition to renewable energy in the summer of 2022 as part of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which requires the state’s two largest electricity utilities to decarbonize the grid by 2050.

Read the full article at the Virginia Mercury