Two US offshore wind projects achieve permitting milestones

Two of the first offshore wind projects in the US, Revolution Wind and Maryland Offshore Wind, recently achieved permitting milestones with regulatory agencies bringing them steps closer to construction.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its approval of the final Clean Air Act Outer Continental Shelf air quality permit for Ørsted and Eversource’s Revolution Wind; and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) announced that a Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on US Wind’s Construction and Operations Plan for Maryland Offshore Wind will be published on October 6, 2023.

Revolution Wind

The permit includes air pollution control requirements for the construction and operation of a wind farm of up to 880MW. EPA’s approval is in concert with other federal approvals for the project, including (BOEM) Record of Decision.

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“The approval of this Clean Air Act permit means construction can begin and that we will ensure the best available technology is used to reduce air pollution associated with construction activity and ongoing operation of the wind farm,” said EPA New England regional administrator David W. Cash.

The permit regulates pollutants from “Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) sources,” such as jack-up barges that will construct each wind turbine and the electrical service platforms. Additionally, emissions associated with air-emitting devices used during the operation of the wind farm, i.e., generators used as a source of back-up electricity for space conditioning where sensitive electronics are housed, are also regulated.

The permit allows construction to begin on the offshore wind development area (WDA) located in federal waters, approximately 7.5 nautical miles south of Nomans Land Island, Massachusetts. The WDA facility will consist of up to 100 offshore wind turbine generators and their foundations, two offshore substations, and inter-array cables.

US Wind

In 2014, US Wind acquired an 80,000-acre federal lease area off the coast of Maryland. In 2017, Maryland approved the company’s MarWin project, and in 2021 the state approved the Momentum Wind project.

US Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski released a statement on the BOEM announcement that a Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on US Wind’s Construction and Operations Plan will be published on 6 October 2023.

“This is the most significant step forward in the history of Maryland offshore wind,” said Grybowski. “BOEM’s draft environmental impact statement sets us on a path toward starting construction on our offshore wind projects in 2025, putting Maryland’s goals that much closer to reality. We are proud to be the first to deliver this clean energy to Delmarva and look forward to the day we can get steel in the water.”

A 45-day public comment period on the draft EIS will commence on October 6 during which the public has an opportunity to submit written comments, attend in-person meetings in Ocean City, Maryland and Sussex County, Delaware, and two virtual meetings. 

Originally published by Sean Wolfe on renewableenergyworld.com