The Turmoil Continues, Yet Big Plans on Offshore Wind

The turmoil continues for offshore wind (OSW) projects in the region. Companies are selling or dropping offshore wind projects due to financial, technological, or other challenges. Despite this turbulence, NY and NJ will keep pushing for more projects and federal agencies are seeking to weaken rules, expand areas, and provide more funding for offshore wind projects. 

 

• In April, New York announced there would be no contract awards for additional projects for its Third Solicitation for Offshore Wind. The primary cause was that General Electric (GE) announced it would not be able to produce the large 18 megawatt (MW) turbines, so the projects were withdrawn. However, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) did commit to future solicitations.

• New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU) announced the Fourth Solicitation for Offshore Wind on April 29th for up to 4,000 more megawatts of new projects. Five projects have already been approved from the first three OSW solicitations in New Jersey.

• The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced a new “Five-Year Offshore Wind Leasing Schedule” for the United States to expand OSW leases, including off the Atlantic coast. COA is concerned that these new leases will trigger the offshore oil and gas leasing mandate which requires 60 million acres to be offered first before any OSW lease.

• BOEM also released OSW Modernization Rules designed to “streamline” and provide more “flexibility” to permitting.

For more information about COA’s work on OSW issues, go to CleanOceanAction.org.

The longer bars (in orange and light green) show future offshore wind
lease areas through 2028 in the federal government's new 5-year plan
for more offshore wind leases off the nation's coasts.
Image Credit: BOEM