List of offshore wind farms in the United States

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Block Island Wind Farm

Offshore wind power is in the early stages of development in the United States. The first commercial offshore wind farm – the 30 megawatt (MW) Block Island Wind Farm off the coast of Rhode Island – began operation in 2016. More projects are now underway and, as of 2017, about 30 projects totalling 24 gigawatts (GW) of potential installed capacity were being planned.[1] In 2016, the United States Department of Energy estimated that the country has a gross resource potential of 10,800GW of offshore wind capacity, with a "technical" resource potential of 2,058GW.[2]

Overview[]

Main article: Wind power in the United States

Offshore wind projects are under development in wind-rich areas of the U.S. East Coast, Great Lakes, and Pacific coast. In January 2012, a "Smart for the Start" regulatory approach was introduced, designed to expedite the siting process while incorporating strong environmental protections. Specifically, the Department of Interior approved “wind energy areas” off the coast where projects can move through the regulatory approval process more quickly.[3] The NOAA Coastal Services Center (CSC) has released a cadastre web tool to illustrate suitability of Eastern seaboard areas.[4]

To comply with the Jones Act of US ships staffed by US personnel for US projects,[5][6] specially built vessels for $300 million could economically supply a schedule of 4 GW projects over 10 years.[7]

The state of New York has set of target of 2,400 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind to be built by 2030. The neighbouring state of New Jersey is aiming for 3,500MW by that same date.[8] In 2016, an update to Massachusetts energy law committed the state to purchasing 1,600MW of offshore wind by 2027,[9] of which the first half was later awarded to Vineyard Wind (see project list below).[10]

In 2019, the University of Delaware and the Danish Energy and Climate Academy jointly opened the first US skills training program for offshore wind energy professionals.[11]

In December 2020, Congress approved a 30% Investment tax credit for US offshore wind farms. [12][13]

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management[]

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is a federal agency responsible for determining offshore areas where wind farms may be built on the Outer Continental Shelf.[14] It sells leases to qualified bidders.[15]

Jones Act[]

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920 is a United States federal statute that provides for the promotion and maintenance of the American merchant marine.[16] Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act is known as the Jones Act and deals with cabotage (coastwise trade) and requires that all goods transported by water between U.S. ports be carried on U.S.-flag ships, constructed in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed by U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents. The lack of ships of size needed to transport large equipment needed for wind turbines has slowed the develop of offshore wind farms.[17]


Experimental floating turbine projects[]

North America’s first floating wind turbine was the 20 kW Volturn US, which was lowered into the Penobscot River in Maine in 2013.[18][19][20][21] It is a University of Maine project.[22][23][24]

In May 2014, the United States Department of Energy chose an offshore wind projects to receive funding.[25] Principle Power was planning a 30-MW WindFloat project in 2013 using 6-MW Siemens turbines in 366 m of water near Coos Bay, Oregon to be operational in 2017,[26] but the project was cancelled as too costly.[27][28][29][30] Interest has been renewed.[31]

As of 2020, the United States Department of Energy is funding two demonstration projects:[32] University of Maine's Aqua Ventus I, which plans to use a semisubmersible floating concrete foundation design and Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation's (LEEDCo's) 20 MW Icebreaker project[33]

In 2021 the Biden administration approved large areas off the coast California for development of wind farms with floating turbines.[34][35]

Operational utility scale[]

Wind farm Offshore BOEM wind energy lease area States Coordinates Capacity
(MW) 		Completion year Turbines Developer/Utility Regulatory agency Refs
Block Island Wind Offshore Rhode Island RI 41°06′52.96″N 71°31′16.18″W / 41.1147111°N 71.5211611°W / 41.1147111; -71.5211611 (Block Island Wind) 30 2016 5 x 6MW Haliade 150 Ørsted [36][37]
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind - Pilot Project Offshore Virginia
OCS-A 0497[38]		 25 nautical miles east of Cape Henry (VA) 2,135 acres (864 ha) VA 36°53′30″N 75°29′30″W / 36.89167°N 75.49167°W / 36.89167; -75.49167 (Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind - Pilot) 12 2020 2 x 6MW
Siemens Gamesa SWT-6.0-154		 Ørsted
Dominion Energy		 Virginia Department of Mines Minerals and Energy (DMME)
BOEM		 [39][40]

List of proposed wind farms on the United States' Atlantic Coast[]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.

As of March 2021, 12 projects were under review by authorities.[41] The following table lists largest offshore wind farm areas (by nameplate capacity) that are in various states development for the Outer Continental Shelf in U.S. territorial waters of the East Coast of the United States,[42] where a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) wind energy area (WEA) lease has been secured[43][44] and have gained at least some required regulatory approval before construction can begin. Distances are approximated and generally represent closest point of turbine array to shoreline, while acreage represents size of total lease area, which may be shared, and not the blocks within them allocated for the wind farm.

Wind farm Offshore BOEM wind energy lease area States Coordinates Capacity
(MW) 		Projected completion Turbines Developer/Utility Regulatory agency Refs
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Offshore Virginia
OCS-A 0483[45]		 25 to 35 nautical miles east of Cape Henry (VA) 112,799 acres (45,648 ha) VA 36°54′N 75°23′W / 36.9°N 75.38°W / 36.9; -75.38 2,640 2026 TBA Dominion Energy BOEM [46][47][48][49][50][51]
Ocean Wind Offshore New Jersey
OCS-A 0498
(NJWEA South)[52]		 13 nautical miles-15 miles (24 km) east of Atlantic City (NJ)[53] 160,480 acres (64,940 ha) NJ 39°21′58″N 74°24′51″W / 39.366111°N 74.414167°W / 39.366111; -74.414167 1,100 2024 90 Haliade-X 12 MW Ørsted
PSEG		 NJBPU [54][55][56][57][58]
Mayflower Wind Offshore Massachusetts
OCS-A 0521		 25 nautical miles south of Marthas Vineyard (MA) 127,388 acres (51,552 ha) MA TBA TBA TBA Shell New Energies
Ocean Winds		 BOEM
Kitty Hawk Wind Offshore North Carolina
OCS-A 0508[59]		 24 nautical miles east of Corolla (NC) 122,405 acres (49,536 ha) NC Phase One: 800
Est. Total: 2500		 2026 TBA Avangrid Renewables BOEM [60][61]
Sunrise Wind Offshore Massachusetts & Rhode Island
OCS-A 0486 (North Lease Area)[62]		 26 nautical miles-30 miles (48 km) east of Montauk Point, Long Island (NY) & 16.6 nautical miles-19 miles (31 km) southeast of Block Island (RI) 97,498 acres (39,456 ha) NY 880 2024 Siemens Gamesa SG 8.0-167 Ørsted
Eversource
Con Ed Transmission
New York Power Authority		 NYSERDA [63][64][65]
Empire Wind Offshore New York
OCS-A 0512
(Hudson North)[66][67]		 12 nautical miles 14 miles (23 km) south of Jones Beach Island, Long Island (NY) at New York Bight 79,350 acres (32,110 ha) NY 40°19′45″N 73°30′28″W / 40.329226°N 73.507861°W / 40.329226; -73.507861 816 2024 60-80 Equinor
BP		 NYSERDA [68][69][70][64][65]
Vineyard Wind Offshore Massachusetts
OCS-A 0501[71][72]		 13 nautical miles -15 miles (24 km) southwest of Marthas Vineyard (MA) 166,886 acres (67,536 ha) MA 41°02′00″N 70°37′00″W / 41.03325°N 70.61667°W / 41.03325; -70.61667 800 2023 84 12MW GE Haliade-X Avangrid
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners		 BOEM
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities		 [73][74][75][76]
Offshore Massachusetts OCS-A 0501 23 miles off the coast of Martha's Vineyard (MA) CT 804 2025 Avangrid
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners 		Connecticut DEEP [77]
Revolution Wind Offshore Rhode Island
OCS-A 0486 (North Lease Area)[62]		 halfway between Montauk Point (NY) & Martha’s Vineyard (MA) 97,498 acres (39,456 ha) RI
CT		 700 2023 Siemens Gamesa 8MW SG 8.0-167 Ørsted
Eversource
National Grid
United Illuminating		 Connecticut DEEP
 [78][79]
MarWin
Offhore Maryland
OCS-A 0490[80]		 26 nautical miles -30 miles (48 km) east of Ocean City (MD) 79,707 acres (32,256 ha) MD 248 2023 32 US Wind Maryland PSC [81][82][83][84][85][86]
South Fork Massachusetts & Rhode Island
OCS-A 0517 (North Lease Area)[62][87]		 26 nautical miles-30 miles (48 km) southeast of Montauk Point, Long Island (NY) & 16.6 nautical miles-19 miles (31 km) southeast of Block Island (RI) 97,498 acres (39,456 ha) RI
NY		 41°05′31″N 71°18′40″W / 41.092°N 71.311161°W / 41.092; -71.311161[88] 130 2023 8 Siemens Gamesa SG 8.0-167 Ørsted
Eversource
Long Island Power Authority		 NYSERDA [89][90][91][65]
Skipjack Offshore Delaware
OCS-A 0519[92]		 16.9 nautical miles-19.5 miles (31.4 km) from coast of Delaware to Maryland state line 26,332 acres (10,656 ha)[93] MD
DE		 38°33′54″N 74°46′44″W / 38.565°N 74.779°W / 38.565; -74.779 120 2023 10 12MW GE Haliade-X Ørsted Maryland PSC [94][84][85]

Abandoned, postponed or decommissioned[]

See also[]

Notes[]

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External links[]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.
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