Offshore Wind Wire

NRG Suspends Bluewater Offshore Wind Project

NRG Bluewater Wind has suspended development of its offshore wind project near Delaware, citing the lack of funding for the federal load guarantee program and uncertainty over tax credits for wind projects.
“Our people have worked hard and we’ve made a considerable financial investment in the wind park, but that effort cannot overcome the difficult and [...]

MORNING ROUNDUP: Atlantic Wind Connection Could Begin Construction In 2014

The Atlantic Wind Connection offshore wind transmission backbone could begin construction in 2014, according to company CEO Bob Mitchell.
The Sustainable Business Forum blog reported the comments from a press briefing held late last month at the National Press Club.
Delaware Online reported on Friday that the NRG Bluewater Wind project is still alive.
North American Windpower reported today [...]

ANALYSIS: Offshore Wind Progress In Texas

By Todd Griset
Combining famously big geography with a culture supportive of energy development, Texas offers attractive locations for offshore wind projects.  Several developers have proposed Texas offshore wind projects, including projects off south Texas proposed by the Baryonyx Corporation.  The regulatory structure applied to these projects may give Texas unique advantages in pursuing offshore wind.
Named [...]

MORNING ROUNDUP: DOE Funds Delaware To Investigate Offshore Wind Transmission Needs

The University of Delaware has received a $540,000 Energy Department grant to investigate the management strategies and electric grid upgrades needed to transmit electricity from offshore wind farms to the load centers on the Atlantic Coast, the school announced yesterday.
“Many large U.S. cities are located on or near the East Coast, giving them close [...]

ANALYSIS: Debate Over Federal Tax Credits For Offshore Wind

By Todd Griset
Federal tax credits are available to offshore wind and other renewable energy projects, but these incentives face an uncertain future.  Two key tax credits that could benefit offshore wind projects are set to expire at the end of 2012.  Uncertainty over the future of those tax credits makes it harder to finance offshore [...]

MORNING ROUNDUP: BOEM Plans 2012 Offshore Wind Studies

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management released the results of July’s Atlantic Wind Energy Workshop, including plans for three environmental studies that will be conducted in 2012.
The workshop focused on identifying research needs for offshore wind development. The studies are, “Developing Protocols for Reconstructing Submerged Paleocultural Landscapes and Identifying Ancient [...]

FAA Ruling Might Be Good For Cape Wind

By Peter Brennan
Last week, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit overturned a ruling that Cape Wind’s turbines would pose no hazard to aviation, many assumed that the decision would be the latest setback to the project.

The company, however, believes that the opposite may be true.

The Federal Aviation Administration [...]

ANALYSIS: Explaining the Cape Wind/FAA Ruling

By Todd Griset
As reported by the Offshore Wind Wire, the proposed Cape Wind offshore wind project hit a legal snag last week.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an order overturning a finding by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the Cape Wind project’s wind turbines would pose no [...]

RACE TO THE WATER: New Jersey Takes The Lead!

After a summer (and early fall) hiatus, the Race to the Water returns!
Welcome to the November edition, where we ask our experts which state will host the country’s first offshore wind turbines. And oh my, how the playing field has changed since we last checked in.
After holding the top spot for the first [...]

MORNING ROUNDUP: Court Rejects FAA Cape Wind Ruling

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled Friday that the Federal Aviation Administration erred in finding a “no hazard” determination for the proposed Cape Wind offshore wind farm.
According to the Associated Press report, the court “vacated” the FAA decision and ordered a new review.
“The FAA did misread its regulations, [...]