MAINE. – Today, the Department of Interior (DOI) announced the results of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s first-ever Gulf of Maine wind energy auction for eight lease areas off the shore of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
BOSTON, MA. -- Today, project bids for offshore wind development in Massachusetts and Rhode Island were selected by the states’ two respective energy and environmental agencies, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER). In total, 2,878 MW – split across three selected projects – were chosen in the first-of-its-kind joint procurement. That is enough renewable energy to power 1.5 million homes.
Maryland – Today, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a Record of Decision on US Wind’s Construction and Operations Plan for an offshore wind project in Maryland, marking the Biden administration’s final approval for this project. This is the nation’s tenth approved offshore wind project.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts - On Saturday, July 13, a single blade from an offshore turbine in the Vineyard Wind 1 project suffered a failure and produced debris south of the island of Nantucket in Massachusetts. This led to a federally ordered safety shutdown of Vineyard Wind’s operations. Vineyard Wind released a public statement on July 15. As pieces of the blade began washing ashore on Nantucket on Tuesday, the community came together to remove debris from the beach while the company mobilized their cleanup effort.
New Jersey – Today, the Department of the Interior announced its approval of the Atlantic Shores South offshore wind energy project off the coast of New Jersey – the nation’s ninth approved commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project.
NEW YORK - Last week, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a decision allowing Sunrise Wind to begin construction on its plans for a commercial wind farm. Once completed, the project will create 924 megawatts (MW) of wind energy. This final approval demonstrates the Biden administration’s commitment to advancing offshore wind and fighting climate change. It will also bring New York closer to meeting its climate goals and reaching70 percent renewable energy by 2030.
BOSTON, MA - Offshore wind is critical to achieving New England’s climate goals, reducing local energy costs, and protecting New Englanders from volatile gas prices, according to a new report authored by Synapse Energy Economics, Inc.
PORTLAND, ME. – Today, the Department of Interior (DOI) proposed a pair of wind energy auctions in the Gulf of Maine and Oregon. Accounting for 15 GW of the potential 18 GW generated from the two sales, the proposed Gulf of Maine auction includes eight lease areas off the shore of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The nearly 1 million acres up for auction could generate enough clean wind energy to power more than 5 million local homes.
Today, the Biden administration’s Department of the Interior released a new five-year offshore wind leasing schedule, laying out a plan for 12 offshore wind auctions in federal waters between now and 2028.
WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, the Biden Administration and the Department of Interior (DOI) announced the approval of the nation’s seventh commercial-scale offshore wind project, Sunrise Wind. Sunrise Wind, which is expected to be operational in 2026, will be built off the coast of New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, and will power more than 320,000 homes per year. Late last month, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded the power purchase agreements for Sunrise Wind and Empire Wind 1 projects.
NEW YORK -- Today, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded the fourth round of offshore wind power purchase agreements to Empire Wind 1 (Equinor) and Sunrise Wind (Orsted and Eversource). The development of Empire Wind 1 will provide 810 megawatts of energy and Sunrise Wind will provide 924 megawatts of energy, which together will power one million homes in New York once operational. Sunrise Wind is expected to be operational in 2026 and Empire Wind 1 in 2027.
NANTUCKET, MA. – After years of tireless work from grassroots groups, labor unions, and government officials, Vineyard Wind, the nation’s first utility-scale offshore wind farm, is officially online. Sierra Club Massachusetts and its Cape Cod group submitted hundreds of pieces of testimony and comment to state legislators, local municipalities, and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management over the last 15 years to encourage the development of a responsible offshore wind industry in America. Sierra Club applauds the monumental achievement from Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and is excited for our new energy future.