1st large-scale, offshore wind project that could power 400K homes approved
By Patrick Whittle
WASHINGTON - An offshore wind project off Massachusetts that would create enough electricity to power 400,000 homes and is touted by backers as a key piece of America’s transition to renewable energy was approved Tuesday by the federal government. Massachusetts should be proud that this decision launches the nation’s first commercial-scale offshore wind project on the Commonwealth’s shores, said Governor Charlie Baker. This groundbreaking project will produce affordable, renewable energy, create jobs and prove Massachusetts developed a successful model for developing offshore wind energy. We appreciate the federal government’s partnership to grant this approval and look forward to working with Vineyard Wind to create thousands of jobs and set the Commonwealth on a path to achieve Net Zero emissions.
by Miriam WasserMay, 11 2021 ()
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. Image: 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.
EnergyU.S. approves major offshore wind farm, launching industry to fight climate change
Nichola Groom
5 minute read
The Biden administration on Tuesday said it has approved the nation s first major offshore wind farm, billing it as the launch of a new domestic energy industry that will help eliminate emissions from the power sector.
The announcement fits neatly with U.S. President Joe Biden s broader agenda to combat global climate change by decarbonizing the nation s economy. The move, however, was quickly condemned by the fishing industry which said its concerns about the project s impact fish stocks and vessel traffic had been met with silence by government officials.
Vineyard Wind project gets federal OK
FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2016 file photo, three of Deepwater Wind s five turbines stand in the water off Block Island, R.I, the nation s first offshore wind farm. An offshore wind project off the island of Martha s Vineyard, off the Massachusetts coast, that would create 800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 400,000 homes, was approved by the federal government Tuesday, May 11, 2021. The Vineyard Wind project, south of Martha s Vineyard near Cape Cod, would be the first. Michael Dwyer
FILE In this Aug. 21, 2019 photo, people walk on Covell Beach, in Centerville, Mass., on the island of Martha s Vineyard. An offshore wind project off Massachusetts that would create 800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 400,000 homes, was approved by the federal government Tuesday, May 11, 2021. The Vineyard Wind project, south of Martha s Vineyard near Cape Cod, would be the first utility-scale wind power development in federal waters. (AP Photo
The Biden administration has given the green light to Vineyard Wind I, a project of 62 turbines to be built in waters off Rhode Island and Massachusetts that would be the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in America.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was on the call with reporters Tuesday to announce final approval of the long-awaited $2.8-billion project that would be built between Block Island and Martha’s Vineyard, produce enough power for about 400,000 homes and go into operation in 2023. As Rhode Island governor, Raimondo oversaw construction of a five-turbine demonstration project off Block Island that in 2016 became the first offshore wind farm in the nation.