List of offshore wind farms in the United States
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[]
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 | 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 | 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[]
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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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[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 | 120 | 2023 | 10 12MW GE Haliade-X | Ørsted | Maryland PSC | [94][84][85] |
Abandoned, postponed or decommissioned[]
- Cape Wind (Massachusetts)[95]
- Delaware Offshore Wind Farm[96][22][97]
- Fisherman's Energy Atlantic City Windfarm[98][99] (New Jersey) Groundbreaking for the onshore portion of the project took place in December 2014.[100][101] It was postponed in July 2017.[102]
See also[]
- Anbaric Development Partners
- Atlantic Wind Connection
- Wind power in the United States
- List of wind farms
- List of offshore wind farms
- Lists of offshore wind farms by country
- Wind Power
- NIMBY
- Energy Policy Act of 2005
Notes[]
- ^ "4 Emerging Trends in U.S. Offshore Wind Technologies". U.S. Department of Energy. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ "Computing America's Offshore Wind Energy Potential". U.S. Department of Energy. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ Kit Kennedy (2 February 2012). "Offshore Wind One Step Closer to Reality in the Mid-Atlantic". Renewable Energy World.
- ^ Offshore Wind Development - Site Suitability Prototype National Ocean Service. Accessed: 4 February 2011. Archived June 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Merchant, Emma Foehringer (13 October 2017). "This Controversial Law Could Stifle the US Offshore Wind Market". Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ Papavizas, Charlie (21 March 2019). "Forming joint ventures to construct US offshore wind farms". www.renewableenergyworld.com. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- ^ "U.S. Jones Act Compliant Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Study" October 2017
- ^ "Two big wind farms to rise off coast of Martha's Vineyard". Boston Globe. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ "Offshore wind finally gets blowing in the US". Vox. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ "After a decade of dithering, the US east coast went all in on offshore wind power this week". Quartz. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ "Offshore Wind Skills Academy". University of Delaware Div. of Professional and Continuing Studies. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
- ^ Morehouse, Catherine (22 December 2020). "Federal stimulus includes wind, solar tax credit extensions, adds first US offshore wind tax credit". Utility Dive. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020.
- ^ https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-116HR133SA-RCP-116-68.pdf
- ^ "State Activities". boem.gov. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ Cardwell, Diane (2015-01-30). "Offshore Wind Farm Leases Draw Few Bids from Wary Industry". The New York Times.
- ^ Pub. L. No. 66-261, 41 Stat. 988 (1920).
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/business/energy-environment/offshore-wind-biden-climate-change.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article
- ^ "VolturnUS 1:8 Launched: Maine Brings U.S. Offshore Wind Dream to Reality". Offshore Wind. June 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ Danko, Pete (2013-05-31). "First US Floating Wind Turbine Launches In Maine". EarthTechling. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
- ^ Russo, Gene (2014). "Renewable energy: Wind power tests the waters". Nature News & Comment. 513 (7519): 478–480. Bibcode:2014Natur.513..478R. doi:10.1038/513478a. PMID 25254459.
- ^ "America's First Floating Wind Turbine". climate.org. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Nathans, Aaron. "Two years after Bluewater, offshore wind takes baby steps" Delaware Online, November 30, 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
- ^ "UMaine's Offshore Wind Energy Pilot Project Wins Initial Ok," Bangor Daily News. Jan 14, 2014; retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "Offshore wind turbine launched in Castine - Photo - Penobscot Bay Press". Castine Patriot. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Seattle firm wins $47 million grant for Oregon offshore wind farm". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ Ros Davidson. "Floating turbines planned for US west coast" Windpower Offshore, 14 October 2013. Accessed: 23 November 2013
- ^ WindFloat Pacific - Offshore Wind Pilot Project "[1]"
- ^ Elizabeth Harball, ClimateWire. "Floating Wind Turbines Coming to Oregon Coast". scientificamerican.com. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Principle Power - News and Press - Press Releases". principlepowerinc.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ Damian Carrington. "Drifting off the coast of Portugal, the frontrunner in the global race for floating windfarms". the Guardian. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ https://www.reutersevents.com/renewables/wind-energy-update/plummeting-costs-spur-oregon-floating-wind-activity
- ^ "Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects". energy.gov. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- ^ "Nation's first freshwater windfarm all but approved as Ohio siting board removes 'poison pill'". Utility Dive. 18 September 2020.
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/climate/biden-california-wind-farm.html
- ^ https://fortune.com/2021/05/25/floating-wind-farms-off-californias-coast-may-be-a-reality/
- ^ "Our offshore wind projects in the U.S." us.orsted.com. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ "Haliade 150-6MW Offshore Wind Turbine | GE Renewable Energy". www.ge.com. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ "Virginia Activities, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "Dominion Energy - Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind".
- ^ https://www.offshore-mag.com/renewable-energy/article/14188769/coastal-virginia-offshore-wind-propels-emerging-us-offshore-wind-market
- ^ Kessler, Richard (25 March 2021). "Ocean's Twelve! America's first wave of offshore wind farms starts to build | Recharge". Recharge | Latest renewable energy news.
- ^ "The future of US offshore wind: the top ten biggest projects | Recharge". Recharge | Latest renewable energy news.
- ^ https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/environmental-stewardship/Mid-Atlantic-Regional-Planning-Body/RenEn-Program-8.28.19_2.pdf
- ^ "State Activities | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "Virginia Activities, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "Dominion Energy - Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind".
- ^ Geuss, Megan (13 July 2017). "Virginia utility agrees to install two offshore wind turbines for study". Ars Technica. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
- ^ "Dominion Awarded $47 Million by DOE for Offshore Wind Turbine Demonstration Project". mediaroom.com. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind | Dominion Energy".
- ^ "Blue Water wins four projects".
- ^ "'Hats off to the team': steel in water at first US federal water wind farm | Recharge". Recharge news. 28 May 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020.
- ^ "Commercial Wind Leasing Offshore New Jersey | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/renewable-energy-program/State-Activities/NJ/NJ-LEASE-FORM-OCS-A-0498.pdf
- ^ "Ocean Wind - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ Warren, Michael Sol (June 21, 2019). "N.J. just gave the green light to build the nation's largest offshore wind farm". nj.
- ^ Martin, Chris (June 21, 2019). "N.J. Betting Big on Orsted as Offshore Wind Poised to Boom". www.bloomberg.com.
- ^ "NJ OKs biggest US wind farm off Jersey Shore; will power 500K homes". Asbury Park Press.
- ^ "PSEG Looks to Become Active Player in Offshore Wind Development". NJ Spotlight. October 30, 2019.
- ^ "North Carolina Activities, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "Kitty Hawk Offshore".
- ^ https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/north-carolina-activities
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Commercial Wind Leasing Offshore Rhode Island And Massachusetts | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "Sunrise Wind - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Map Library". NYSERDA.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "New York awards record 1,700 MW offshore wind contracts". Utility Dive.
- ^ "Lease OCS-A 0512 | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "New York Bight | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "Empire Wind - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/BOEM/BOEM_Newsroom/Press_Releases/2018/NY_Call_4_4_2018_montauk.jpg
- ^ "Equinor's Empire Wind - equinor.com". www.equinor.com.
- ^ "Massachusetts Leases OCS-A 0500 (Bay State Wind) And OCS-A 0501 (Vineyard Wind) ; Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "Commercial Leases OCS-A 0520, 0521, And 0522; Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "Vineyard Wind - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ "Vineyard Wind". Vineyard Wind.
- ^ "Two big wind farms to rise off coast of Martha's Vineyard". Boston Globe. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ "Vineyard Wind: delayed project reveals bluster in US's offshore wind ambitions". December 4, 2019.
- ^ https://www.parkcitywind.com/ Park City Wind
- ^ "Revolution Wind - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ "Rhode Island Regulators Approve Revolution Wind Power Contract". us.orsted.com.
- ^ "Maryland Activities | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ "US Wind Maryland (MarWin) - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ "Maryland Offshore Wind Project".
- ^ Cichon, Meg. "Third US Offshore Wind Lease Auction Goes to Italy-based US Wind" 20 August 2014. Accessed: 10 December 2014.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Rentsch, Julia. "Taller, more distant turbines put Ocean City offshore wind projects back under state review". Delmarva Daily Times.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Maryland PSC Gives Go-Ahead to US Wind, Deepwater Wind Projects". Offshore Wind. May 11, 2017.
- ^ "Interior Auctions 80,000 Acres Offshore Maryland for Wind Energy Development, Advances President's Climate Action Plan". www.doi.gov. August 19, 2014.
- ^ https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/BOEM/Renewable_Energy_Program/State_Activities/NY/DW_South_Fork_Area_Map_10_16_2018.jpg
- ^ "South Fork - Offshore Wind Farm Project; 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ "South Fork - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ Cardwell, Diane (January 25, 2017). "Nation's Largest Offshore Wind Farm Will Be Built Off Long Island". The New York Times.
- ^ https://www.lipower.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/LIPA-First-Offshore-Wind-Farm-Doc-V19_102819-FINAL.pdf
- ^ "Delaware Activities | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management".
- ^ https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/uploadedImages/BOEM/Renewable_Energy_Program/State_Activities/de_web_graphic(1).jpg
- ^ "Skipjack - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore". www.4coffshore.com.
- ^ "After a decade of dithering, the US east coast went all in on offshore wind power this week". Quartz. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ^ "Agreement Reached On Del. Wind Farm," Washington Post. June 24, 2008; retrieved 13 Dec 2010.
- ^ Nathans, Aaron. "Maryland takes step closer to offshore wind turbines" Delaware Online, August 20, 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
- ^ "Atlantic City Windfarm - Fishermen's Energy - The Future of Energy in New Jersey". fishermensenergy.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Wind power or hot air? Foes question Christie's shift on clean energy". Washington Post. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ Veselina Petrova. "Fishermen's Energy breaks ground on 25-MW offshore wind farm - SeeNews Renewables". seenews.com. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "New Jersey wind power project begins construction". elp.com. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ Lowe, Claire (30 June 2017). "Without funding, offshore wind project for AC hangs in limbo". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
External links[]
- List of U.S. offshore wind projects
- 'Only a matter of time': U.S. offshore wind struggles to get off the ground
- Draft Environmental Impact Statement - produced by the US Army Corps of Engineers
- Opinion piece on wind turbines shifting
- Cape Wind Project Page - company website
- Clean Power Now - a pro-project advocacy group
- Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound - anti-project advocacy group
- Northeast Ocean Data: Offshore Wind Projects
- Lists of offshore wind farms by country
- Lists of power stations in the United States
- Proposed wind farms in the United States
- Offshore wind farms in the United States