Biden Administration Approves Eleventh U.S. Offshore Wind Project
Racing to put the offshore wind industry on a sound footing before the close of the Biden administration, the Department of the Interior today approved what will become the eleventh large-scale offshore wind farm off the coastal United States. The project known as SouthCoast Wind will generate 2.4 GW of offshore wind energy for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The notice of availability of the Joint Record of Decision comes after Massachusetts issued approvals in October and the two states selected the project for long-term power contracts.
The project which is being developed by OW Ocean Winds, a joint venture partnership between EDP Renewables and ENGIE, won its lease in 2018 and was originally known as Mayflower Wind. The project area covers just over 127,000 acres and will be about 26 nautical miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 nautical miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
The project, as approved, includes the construction of up to 141 wind turbine generators and up to five offshore substation platforms located at a maximum of 143 positions, and up to eight offshore export cables. The Department of Interior highlights however, the approval removes up to six wind turbine positions in the northeastern portion of the Lease Area to reduce potential impacts on foraging habitat and potential displacement of wildlife from the habitat adjacent to Nantucket Shoals.
The Department says it has worked to meet the moment to grow a clean energy economy that is strengthening the nation’s power grid and creating good-paying jobs across construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, and more. With this approval, it highlights it has now approved more than 19 gigawatts of offshore wind energy.
“When we walked in the door of this administration, there were zero approved, commercial-scale offshore wind projects in federal waters,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Today, I am proud to celebrate our 11th approval… we are addressing the climate crisis, creating jobs, and building an enduring economy that supports all communities.”
The incoming Trump administration has not yet declared its policy on offshore wind, but Donald Trump spoke openly against offshore wind power development during the campaign. His first administration was accused of slow-walking the approval process. The belief however is that the administration will not attempt to revoke approvals issued by its predecessors.
The approval of the new project for Massachusetts and Rhode Island came as Connecticut which had partnered with the states on the last solicitation confirmed today the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) closed its solicitation for offshore wind resources without selecting any bids. The other states selected 2,878 MW of offshore wind projects in early September. Connecticut officials did not announce a specific reason for not proceeding with offshore wind energy but Governor Ned Lamont spoke of the need for affordable energy. He pointed to the ongoing projects including offshore wind while saying it was a “pass for now” on future projects as each state takes its own course in renewable energy.
Connecticut reportedly received four proposals in the joint solicitation. Officials held out the possibility that the state would explore offshore wind energy again in the future.