Offshore Wind Energy Projects News

U.S. Installed Offshore Wind Capacity Jumps in First Quarter

Installed offshore wind capacity in the U.S. grew to 242MW in the first quarter of the year from 42MW in the previous quarter, the Oceantic Network said in its report, showcasing a recovery in a previously volatile industry.The offshore wind industry is expected to play a major role in helping several states and, the Biden administration meet goals to decarbonize the power grid and combat climate change.The industry had a tough 2023 after developers wrote off billions of dollars in impairment charges due to high-interest rates…

New York Not Moving Forward With Three Offshore Wind Farms

New York State on Friday stalled three major offshore wind-energy projects after General Electric Vernova GE.N changed the turbine design, which the state said "materially altered" the plans.New York provisionally approved the projects in October 2023. They are Attentive Energy One being developed by TotalEnergies, Rise Light & Power and Corio Generation; Community Offshore Wind, which is backed by RWE and National Grid Ventures; and Vineyard Offshore's Excelsior Wind.But since then…

Jones Act Uncertainties Persist in US Offshore Wind

The Jones Act is a single sentence long, and yet somehow that reservation of U.S. domestic maritime commerce to qualified U.S.-flag vessels has spawned numerous complications with respect to offshore wind energy projects. Although not supported by prior experience, maybe 2023 will bring some clarity.U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the primary source of guidance for how the Jones Act applies. CBP issued its first two offshore wind rulings in May 2010 and February 2011 in the heady early days of U.S. offshore wind.

Biden Administration, East Coast States to Push Wind Energy

The Biden administration is partnering with 11 East Coast states to accelerate the development of offshore wind facilities, including addressing supply chain issues, advancing construction and boosting jobs, the White House said on Thursday.The move is part of President Joe Biden's push into cleaner energy technologies as part of its efforts to address climate change and comes as rising prices, particularly gasoline, weigh on his agenda."The partnership will support efforts to provide Americans with cleaner and cheaper energy…

U.S. Offshore Wind Expansion: Here’s How Officials Decide Where Turbines May Go

The Biden administration has announced ambitious plans to scale up leasing for offshore wind energy projects along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts. In an announcement released on Oct. 13, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Interior stated that it will “use the best available science as well as knowledge from ocean users and other stakeholders to minimize conflict with existing uses and marine life.” University of Massachusetts Boston public policy scholar David W. Cash, who worked at senior levels in state government for a decade…

Offshore Wind Firm Atlantic Shores Signs Deal with Six Unions to Train and Hire New Jersey Workers

Offshore wind developer Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind -  a U.S. joint venture between Shell and EDF, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with six unions operating in New Jersey as part of its bid submission, "committing to help develop and employ a productive, safe, well-trained local workforce."The company in December 2020 submitted its bid to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to supply the state with up to 2,300 MW of renewable wind energy. New Jersey seeks to award between 1…

Atlantic Shores Bids to Build Up to for 2,3 GW of Offshore Wind for New Jersey

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, the 50-50 joint venture between EDF Renewables North America and Shell New Energies US, has submitted its proposal to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to supply the state with up to 2,300 MW of renewable wind energy.New Jersey seeks to award between 1,200 MW and 2,400 MW of offshore wind energy projects as part of its second solicitation. Atlantic Shores estimates their first project would be completed as early as 2027 and if awarded, the…

US Shipyards See Big Business Shifts

The American shipbuilding scene, filled with participants constructing all manner of vessels, has been navigating through stormy times (lately, yards along the Gulf Coast have literally been dealing with storms). The orders for newbuild, repair and conversion projects continue to flow in—albeit at a reduced pace—and the boats and ships go down the ways into the water, but the overall panorama has seen tremendous sea changes as the business has shifted.Maritime businesses worldwide have been grappling with currents both internal and external.

Equinor, ESB Target Irish Offshore

Ireland-based energy company Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Norwegian energy company Equinor plan to jointly develop offshore wind sites and enter them into the country's renewable energy auctions from the mid-2020s.The partnership will work to identify suitable sites for new offshore windfarms in Irish waters and work to mature potential future wind projects. The potential for energy storage technology and other technologies to complement offshore wind operations will also be examined. It is the ambition of the partnership to explore opportunities for large scale wind projects towards commercial operation by 2030, thus contributing to the wider goals of the Irish Government on energy transition.Furthermore…

US Extends Offshore Wind Tax Credit

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) issued a statement in support of two bills introduced in the U.S. Senate this week, which would both extend the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for offshore wind energy.The legislation comes at a critical time for offshore wind in America, as energy developers prepare to start construction on the first wave of large-scale projects.The Offshore Wind Incentives for New Development Act introduced by Senators Markey (D-MA), Whitehouse (D-RI), and Congressman Jim Langevin (RI-02), as well as the Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act introduced by Senators Carper (D-DE) and Collins (R-ME) would…

VA Offshore Wind: A Strong Foundation

Virginia officials have established a well-planned, extensive strategy to build out an offshore wind industry, including wind towers for electricity generation and the supply chain to support that extensive infrastructure and operations. The State’s big picture is ambitious: developing 2,000 MW of offshore wind by 2028.As currently envisioned, VA’s offshore wind development will likely start this year with two 8-megawatt wind turbines 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. This is a Dominion Energy pilot undertaken in partnership with the Danish wind company Orsted.

The New York Bight – a Hydra of Difficult Issues

The greening of America’s energy signature will not come without the usual discussions, regulatory oversight – and opposition from a raft of special interests.Amidst an atmosphere of possible resurgence in the domestic offshore oil energy, maritime stakeholders are also reminded that there is more than one kind of energy available for development off the four collective coasts of the United States. That process is underway in the Great Lakes; it has already happened off of New England.

Denmark, US to Partner on Offshore Wind

Denmark and the United States have signed a memorandum to strengthen cooperation on offshore wind energy projects, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced. On May 4, 2016 at the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C., Danish Ambassador Lars Gert Lose and BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to recognize their countries' common interests in developing offshore wind as a clean and sustainable energy source. “This is a historic event for our respective countries as we work together to share knowledge…

US Deploys Three Offshore Wind Energy Projects

As a part of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the U.S. Energy Department today announced the selection of three pioneering offshore wind demonstrations to receive up to $47 million each over the next four years to deploy innovative, grid-connected systems in federal and state waters by 2017. These projects – located off the coast of New Jersey, Oregon and Virginia – will help speed the deployment of more efficient offshore wind power technologies. Building…

UK Throttle Back on Two Offshore Wind Projects

Forewind, in agreement with The Crown Estate has revised the current development potential for the total capacity of the wind energy projects in the Dogger Bank Zone from 9 gigawatts (GW) to 7.2 GW. At the same time, the consortium behind London Array has announced it will not proceed with the development of Phase 2 of the offshore wind farm. The revision has been made following more than four years of offshore and onshore surveys and assessments, which have concluded that the…

Fugro Take Delivery of New Offshore Survey Vessel

Fugro's new offshore survey coastal vessel, 'R.V. Fugro Helmert', is the latest in Fugro's fleet renewal programme. Built to Fugro's specifications for a highly manoeuvrable, versatile survey vessel, Fugro Helmert is intended to enable the group to better respond to the survey needs of offshore wind energy projects, offshore cable and pipeline corridor design and nautical hydrographic charting programmes to aid safe navigation. The 41.5 metre-long vessel has dynamic position station-holding capability (DP1) and is equipped with a sophisticated suite of modern handling and surveying systems…

Nupas-Cadmatic the Choice for Sietas’ Jack Up Transport

The German-based Shipyard J.J. Sietas, used Nupas-Cadmatic for its intricate offshore wind farm transport and installation vessel. The jack-up was developed for use near the coast in offshore wind parks. The vessel required a complex design in order to operate reliably, quickly and hold a stable position, even in heavy seas. JJ Sietas required software that could efficiently cope with these characteristics. With the use of Nupas-Cadmatic J.J. Sietas managed to reduce the design and engineering time to a minimum.

Maersk Partners With Apex for North American Wind Energy

Maersk Line, Limited and Apex Offshore Wind Energy Partner to Bring Offshore Wind Energy to North America. Apex Offshore Wind, LLC and Maersk Line, Limited today announced that they have established a working relationship to support the development, financing and construction of utility-scale offshore wind energy facilities in North America. Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) is a subsidiary of A.P. Moller-Maersk, a global corporation with a long history of successful operation in offshore energy. MLL has decided to partner with a reputable offshore wind energy firm to collaborate on the development of potential wind energy projects. MLL views…

SNAME Focused Panel Sessions, 2009 Meeting

The focused panel sessions at the Society of Naval Architects and Engineers (SNAME) Annual Meeting and Expo (October 21-23 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island) will feature four timely topics: Electric Ships; Renewable Energy from the Oceans; Unmanned and Autonomous Ships of the Future; and Ship Efficiency in the Greenhouse Gas Era. Each two-hour panel session will be chaired and moderated by experienced SNAME members. Each session will have three leading experts who will make thirty minute presentations on their area of expertise, followed by a moderated thirty minute discussion period which will include questions and answers from the audience.

Ocean Policy Study: Shortchanging Water Transport?

In August 2000, Congress directed the President to appoint a group of experts to study the policy of the United States with respect to the oceans and make recommendations for changes. The legislative mandate was broad - covering protection of life and property; responsible stewardship; protection of the marine environment; enhancement of commerce and transportation; expansion of human knowledge; improvement of capabilities and technologies; close cooperation among stakeholders; and U.S. leadership in marine activities. The Commission members were (and are) recognized leaders in a wide variety of marine endeavors. The Preliminary Report of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, at 514 pages, is daunting. Sadly, it is also incomplete.