The project would consist of 84 wind turbines located 12 nautical miles off Martha s Vineyard. The project and Ocean Wind, a proposed 1,100-megawatt offshore wind project off New Jersey, are keystones in the Biden administration s push to grow offshore wind as a way to fight climate change and create jobs.
Vineyard Wind follows the scrapped Cape Wind project, which failed after opposition from some high-profile liberals and conservatives alike. Supporters of Vineyard Wind have said the newer project is better sited than Cape Wind, which would ve been closer to shore, and that it s more in tune with today s political climate.
But Vineyard Wind also faces opposition. Commercial fishing businesses have said the growth of offshore wind projects off the East Coast would make it difficult for them to harvest valuable seafood species such as scallops and lobsters.
Follow Us
We are first in your inbox with the most important news in the industry―keeping you smarter and one-step ahead in this ever-changing and competitive market.Start your free subscription
Offshore Milestone as Feds Back Vineyard Wind Project
The first large-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S. has received the go-ahead from the federal government, with industry insiders saying the milestone decision is likely to spur more rapid development of the nation’s offshore wind projects.
The Vineyard Wind installation, an 800-MW project that will use GE’s Haliade-X turbines, on May 11 received the Record of Decision (ROD) from the U.S. Dept. of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). The ROD is the last major step in the federal review process for Vineyard Wind, a joint venture of Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).
Michael Dwyer/AP
toggle caption Michael Dwyer/AP
A lift boat and wind turbines off Block Island, R.I., in 2016. Approval of the country s first large-scale wind farm off Martha s Vineyard signals a major shift in the clean energy landscape. Michael Dwyer/AP
The U.S. Interior Department approved the country s first large-scale offshore wind project Tuesday, a final hurdle that reverses course from the Trump administration and sets the stage for a major shift in the energy landscape.
This is a significant milestone in our efforts to build a clean and more equitable energy future while addressing the climate emergency, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said during a press briefing. She said an expansion of wind energy is critical to President Biden s ambitious climate goals to make the electricity sector carbon-neutral.
The project would consist of 84 wind turbines located 12 nautical miles off Martha s Vineyard. The project and Ocean Wind, a proposed 1,100-megawatt offshore wind project off New Jersey, are keystones in the Biden administration s push to grow offshore wind as a way to fight climate change and create jobs.
Vineyard Wind follows the scrapped Cape Wind project, which failed after opposition from some high-profile liberals and conservatives alike. Supporters of Vineyard Wind have said the newer project is better sited than Cape Wind, which would ve been closer to shore, and that it s more in tune with today s political climate.
But Vineyard Wind also faces opposition. Commercial fishing businesses have said the growth of offshore wind projects off the East Coast would make it difficult for them to harvest valuable seafood species such as scallops and lobsters.