Offshore Wind Wire

By Todd Griset
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is considering a proposed underwater electric transmission line off the United States’ mid-Atlantic coast.
In March 2011, Atlantic Grid Holdings LLC applied to BOEM for a right-of-way grant for a transmission line running across the outer continental shelf offshore New York, New [...]

By Peter Brennan
In a major victory for Cape Wind supporters, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court today issued a decision in which it upheld the long term power purchase agreement (PPA) between Cape Wind and National Grid. In its decision, the Court sided with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) in finding that the Cape [...]

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced recently that it will begin accepting proposals next month from developers interested in building a wind farm in federal waters off of Virginia. BOEM has already initiated the leasing process in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware, and plans to begin selling leases in the next calendar year. [...]

Atlantic Wind Connection Takes Step Forward

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced today that it is taking the next steps in its review of the Atlantic Wind Connection, the proposed transmission line that would connect offshore wind farms with the mid-Atlantic electricity grid. According to a press release accompanying the announcement, BOEM is [...]

By Todd Griset
NRG Energy announced this week that it is “putting active development of offshore wind projects on hold for the near term.” This is a significant shift for NRG’s subsidiary Bluewater Wind and the projects it has been developing, and may have broader implications for the US offshore wind market. NRG [...]

By Peter Brennan
In late November the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced that it had received an unsolicited application for a deepwater test project from Norwegian energy giant Statoil. The proposed project would consist of four three-megawatt floating turbines located roughly 12 nautical miles south of Boothbay Harbor in the Gulf of Maine.
While the [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]