Monthly Archives: April 2024

In a significant development for New York's renewable energy sector, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has wrapped up its third offshore wind solicitation, marking both achievements and challenges in the state's ambitious green energy agenda.

Following the October 24, 2023 announcement, NYSERDA provisionally awarded contracts to three offshore wind projects, pending successful contract negotiations. These projects were poised to revolutionise New York's energy landscape:

- Attentive Energy One A collaboration between TotalEnergies, Rise Light & Power, and Corio Generation, this project aimed to generate 1,404 MW. - Community Offshore Wind Developed by RWE Offshore Renewables and National Grid Ventures, this project boasted a capacity of 1,314 MW. - Excelsior Wind Developed by Vineyard Offshore, this project also targeted a capacity of 1,314 MW.

Additionally, NYSERDA provisionally allocated $300 million of grant funding to GE Vernova and LM Wind Power for nacelle and blade manufacturing in New Yorks Capital Region, in conjunction with the awarded projects.

For more information about offshore wind farm projects across the globe, click here.

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NYSERDA concludes New York's third offshore wind solicitation without final awards - 4C Offshore

As offshore wind turbines undergo construction in waters south of the Vineyard, and with some already standing and delivering power, the debates on the Island regarding the industry continue.

And amid the conversations over a necessity for clean energy, and whether the projects are a blow to the Vineyards natural charm coupled with a mix of online misinformation campaigns against the offshore wind industry one subject has remained submerged: undersea cables.

While cables which connect wind farms to the New England power grid on the mainland arent the flashiest parts of an offshore wind farm operation, some are nervous about what may lie ahead with them.

John Keene, president of the Marthas Vineyard Fishermens Preservation Trust, told the Times that some in the fishing industry are nervous about how the electromagnetic field from the cables can affect marine life.

Keene said the concern is that the fields emitted from cables could act like a fence, particularly for migratory species, and impact the behavior of marine species.

Theres a lot of unknowns, he said.

The worry also stems from how many cables would be in areas not far from the Vineyard, including a spot near Edgartown called Muskeget Channel. Seven cables are planned to go through one of the channels corridors.

The collective energy hasnt been met yet, Keene said regarding the number of cables that would be on the seafloor once the offshore wind farms planned south of the Island are completed.

There are nearly 10 offshore wind projects underway or proposed in seas south of the Vineyard, which have terms of around three decades per lease area.

Among the various offshore wind projects within 30 miles of the Vineyard, the 130-megawatt South Fork Wind project, located around 20 miles southwest of Marthas Vineyard, is the only one that has completed construction so far, and is delivering power through cables that come to shore in Long Island.

For Vineyard Wind 1, an over 800-megawatt, 62-turbine offshore wind farm in the works, overseen by Avingrid, the cables come close to Edgartown.

Vineyard Wind 1s 220-kilovolt undersea cable slithers over 15 miles through a corridor in Muskeget Channel before making landfall in Barnstable, partially passing through waters under Edgartown jurisdiction.

And its not the only undersea cable laid by Avangrid in the channel. The corridor, generally 3,800 feet in width, was previously widened by around 1,000 feet by developers for cable laying, and may be completely filled out by cables stemming from Avangrid projects, including a lease area for a proposed offshore wind operation collectively known as New England Wind.

An Avangrid press release touting the projects potential economic and environmental benefits to the region says that Park City Wind is returning as the 791-megawatt New England Wind 1 and Commonwealth Wind is coming back as the 1,080-megawatt New England Wind 2.

The cables for Vineyard Wind 1 and New England Wind projects are each around 11 inches in diameter, and will be, or currently are, buried five to eight feet below the sea floor. Despite the small amount of space the cables themselves would take up, Avangrid representatives and consultants have said that a large amount of space between 164 feet and 328 feet is needed between each cable to keep them from damaging one another, and for repair vessels.

The New England Wind 2 connector cable which consists of 275-kilovolt cables is currently under review by the Marthas Vineyard Commission. During a public hearing on April 11, the only public comments to the commission came from board members of Vineyard Power, a partner of Vineyard Wind.

Although commissioners have yet to make a final decision, there were questions whether the cable construction would affect marine life, and who would be liable if something went awry while laying the cables.

Even if the MVC approves the project, Avangrid will still have more steps ahead. Edgartown conservation assistant Kara Shemeth tells the Times the cable project would return to the towns conservation commission after undergoing MVC review.

And the approval process may not encounter smooth sailing with the Edgartown conservation commission. The conservation commission had denied permitting undersea cables for Vineyard Wind 1 and the former Park City Wind project, although the states Department of Environmental Protection ultimately reversed these decisions.

Both times, the conservation commission expressed concerns over potential environmental impacts from the cables. A representative of the Edgartown commission was not immediately available for comment.

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) spokesperson Brian Walch told the Times that the agency works closely with tribes, government agencies, and a wide range of other ocean users to make sure offshore energy development is done in a responsible manner that would avoid or mitigate potential impacts to offshore environment and marine life.

As for the electromagnetic fields, Walch said that the cables are wrapped in sheathes that reduces the emission of these fields. Additionally, Walch said, the fields decay quickly with distance from cables, and burying them reduces potential exposure.

Regarding the impact on marine species, electromagnetic fields exist naturally in the ocean, but are also generated by other types of cables, like those for telecommunication. Additionally, the power company Eversource has undersea cables connecting the Island with the mainland for power distribution that make landfall in Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, and Falmouth.

BOEM also states that the alternating current from the offshore wind cables in Southern New England will generate weak EMF at frequencies outside the known range of detection by electrosensitive and magnetosensitive fishes.

Walch said while some species, like skates, sharks, and lobsters, are sensitive to electromagnetic fields, detrimental effects to populations are not expected.

Some marine species are observed to respond to EMF, but the fields do not negatively impact their movement, Walch said.

Developers for the New England Wind 2 connector cable project also said there would be no permanent changes caused by the construction. However, laying the cables may require dredging more than 100,000 cubic yards of sand, which may kill some shellfish, like surf clams and young blue mussels. MVC staff stated during the meetings it could take up to four years for the affected sea life to recover and recolonize, depending on the seafloor composition. Maritime navigation and fishing activities near the cable-laying area will also likely be impacted while construction takes place.

Island commercial fisherman Wes Brighton told the Times that the number of undersea cables would be an unprecedented amount for the waters near the Vineyard, adding it may be too early to tell exactly how local waters will be impacted.

To speculate as to what the impacts and the damages are, theres no empirical data that you can be sure of what the outcome is, so its very problematic from a mitigation perspective, he said, adding he feels the potential impact could be catastrophic.

But Brighton also said this remains uncertain until more time has passed observing the areas for changes. He will be on notice during the upcoming commercial conch and squid seasons, after the cables have been laid.

The connector cable project representatives also stated there would be no damages to undersea archaeological sites, a concern The Times has heard from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) before. Walch said BOEM encourages developers to avoid or minimize impacting underwater cultural resources, and the agency consults tribal nations on a government-to-government basis for input about sites of significance.

Walch noted that BOEM requires developers to follow their procedures to preserve submerged archaeological sites and cultural resources during construction, and to add buffers around these areas.

Also, protocols are in place for ceasing construction in the vicinity of an unanticipated archaeological discovery, as well as for notifying BOEM for the discovery immediately, Walch said.

Avangrid-owned cables arent the only ones that may be coming close to the Vineyard. While SouthCoast Wind is proposing a cable that runs south of Nomans Land and making landfall in Somerset, another cable proposed for its second phase could be connected in Falmouth, with a cable route that would run even closer to the Island than Vineyard Wind 1s cable.

While fishermen have been appreciative of Vineyard Wind coordinating before construction, some are unsure whether other companies with projects south of the Island would be as proactive.

Each company handles how they do outreach differently, Keene said, pointing out that various projects were in different permitting stages.

Some companies havent done much outreach, Keene noted, like representatives for South Fork Wind. South Fork Wind is jointly owned by rsted and Eversource. The two companies also jointly owned Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind, although Eversource relinquished its shares of these projects earlier this year.

Although not the only company owning projects in waters south of the Vineyard, rsted is the one company that rivals Avangrid in the number of projects planned in the maritime region.

Addressing some of the concerns raised, an rsted spokesperson stated, Weve taken a number of steps to ensure the coexistence of the commercial fishing industry with offshore wind often by being directly responsive to requests from the fishing community. Our outreach work has included fishers in Massachusetts, and specifically on Marthas Vineyard.

The spokesperson pointed to several ways rsted has engaged with the fishing community, like a direct compensation program to commercial fishermen impacted by the South Fork Wind project, committing over $3 million in coastal community funds in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and committing $2.3 million toward a navigational enhancement and training program to help commercial vessels acquire navigational equipment and access to professional mariner training.

When asked about the concerns surrounding undersea cables, Avangrid chief development officer Ken Kimmell pointed out that the offshore wind cables would not be the first of their kind. This happens literally all over the world, Kimmell said.

Kimmel emphasized that when offshore wind projects are planned out, developers are asked to designate a corridor to place the cables rather than laying them all over. He said these areas are studied intensely, and that Muskeget Channel was ideal as a cable-laying location because it was not used as intensely as a fishery.

Additionally, Kimmel said Avangrid would employ jet plowing, which he described as a cable-laying method that would have a minimized impact on the environment.

The record of decision from BOEM goes into detail about the cable-laying process, Kimmel said, and added that Avangrid had essentially received the green light from state entities for its projects.

Weve addressed all relevant environmental concerns, he said.

Back on the Vineyard, Brighton emphasized that fishermen are not climate change deniers. Some in the public have pointed at fishermen as climate deniers for their outspoken criticism of the offshore wind industry. Rather, Brighton and other fishermen wish that more consideration and collaboration had taken place before the offshore wind projects were approved.

He pointed to how Vineyard Winds compensation program requires commercial fishermen to have fished in the lease area for at least three years between 2016 and 2022, but fisheries experience booms and busts that can keep commercial fishing operations in other parts of the ocean.

As fishermen, were witnessing change, Brighton said.

See more here:

A submerged concern: offshore wind cables - Martha's Vineyard Times

Danish shipping and logistics group Maersk has partnered up with compatriot wind turbine maker Vestas to set up a nacelle factory and logistical base at the Mokpo New Port hinterland complex in South Korea.

A memorandum of understanding, signed in the presence of the Governor of Jeonnam Province Kim Yung-rok and the Mayor of Mokpo City Park Hong-ryul, outlines the duos aim to establish a competitive and sustainable industrial supply chain for offshore wind in South Korea and forge local partnerships, while Jeonnam Province and Mokpo City will provide administrative and financial support.

The Korean government is actively promoting offshore wind power projects, with plans to expand the capacity deployment to 26.7 GW by 2036. Vestas, which has already secured several orders in the country, said the investment plan with Maersk would be dependent on the pace of a growing market and awarded volume.

South Korea has a promising offshore wind market with the potential to become a hub for accelerating offshore wind energy. The agreement follows the strong technology offering we have with the V236-15 MW wind turbine and the recent commercial traction we have seen, said Tommy Rahbek Nielsen, chief of operations at Vestas.

Maersk chief executive Vincent Clerc said the deal with Vestas was a good step for project logistics in Asia Pacific and a key milestone in the companys integrator strategy of delivering end-to-end logistics solutions.

We continue to strengthen our partnership with Vestas, which is based on a shared vision and our joint commitment to a green, sustainable future for our planet, added Clerc.

The full details of the investment approach are currently under consideration, and the two companies said they would reveal further information when the plan is finalised.

Link:

Maersk sets sights on offshore wind logistics in South Korea - Splash247 - Splash 247

A lawsuit filed by eight shore towns against the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project was dismissed in court Thursday due to a lack of standing for homeowners and municipalities, Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera said.

Personally, I have a very hard time understanding how homeowners and municipalities have no standing in this case when these ocean wind projects will have major negative impacts to the ocean environment, our local economies, the value of peoples homes, and will dramatically increase the cost of electricity paid by everyone in New Jersey, Sera said in a news release.

The lawsuit was filed by Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Brigantine, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom, Surf City and Ventnor on Dec. 1. It called for an independent review of the 1,510-megawatt wind turbine facility Atlantic Shores is working to build anywhere from 9 to 20 miles off the towns coasts.

The project review was to determine whether the 200-plus wind turbines being built standing almost as high as the Empire State Building at approximately 1,048 feet violated the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protections coastal regulations.

The DEP has a responsibility to adhere to their own Coastal Regulations, which prohibit development that threaten the scenic view and environment of the New Jersey Shore, Sera said.

All eight mayors in the lawsuit expressed concern about the DEPs ability to make a fair and impartial decision, citing pressure from Gov. Phil Murphy and his administration to make New Jersey a 100% clean energy state by 2035.

Residents on Tuesday asked Atlantic County commissioners to take a strong stand against offshore wind farms, and to reconsider how they spend the county's opioid settlement funds.

While I have tremendous respect for our legal system, I also understand the politics that are going on behind the scenes with the Murphy Administration doing everything in its power to force these ocean wind projects down peoples throats without any regard to the long-term and potentially irreversible damage that they will cause, Sera said.

Brigantine residents and members of the nonprofit Defend Brigantine Beach present at Tuesdays Atlantic County commissioners meeting pushed again for officials to take a strong stand against the wind turbines, noting they were neither green nor clean.

We are disappointed that a judge would think that the residents of the communities most impacted by the offshore wind project would have no standing in a matter that will impact our lives, our economy and our environment, Ventnor Mayor Lance Landgraf said Saturday.

Sera said the proximity and scale of the Atlantic Shores project would make it one of the largest, densest and closest offshore wind farms off any coast in the world.

The court filing highlighted other concerns, including the projects potential impact on the environment, marine life, property values and local economies, including fishing and tourism.

Im urging city council and every other municipality in the State to fight these ocean wind projects with everything they have before its too late, Sera said.

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Brigantine, Ventnor respond to offshore wind suit dismissal - Press of Atlantic City

Denmark has launched its largest ever offshore wind tender, which it believes could lead to 100% renewable electricity in the country, as well as providing additional power for green hydrogen and its derivatives, such as ammonia and synthetic aviation fuel.

The government is offering 6GW of offshore wind capacity at six sites around the country, with the possibility for developers to overplant in their zones to establish up to 10GW or more.

With turbines in the hundreds, we are arming ourselves against Putins black gas, and today Denmark has come closer to becoming Europes green powerhouse, said climate and energy minister Lars Aagaard.

When the turbines spin, we can cover all of Denmarks power consumption with green power and we can produce hydrogen and green fuels for ships and aircraft.

However, the tender offers no subsidies to winning developers, which would have to give the Danish state a 20% ownership stake in their projects, as well as providing an annual concession payment to the government for 30 years.

In its announcement of the tender, the Danish Energy Agency said that the possible expansion to 10GW could potentially mean green electricity corresponding to the consumption of more than 10 million Danish and European households, although the green electricity could also be used for hydrogen or other Power-to-X products to replace fossil fuels.

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Gigawatt-scale offshore wind farms potentially offer economies of scale for green hydrogen developers, however, offshore wind remains one of the most expensive forms of renewable energy, even though costs have come down massively in recent years.

Projects could theoretically also be eligible for EU subsidies through the European Hydrogen Bank, but that would mean they would have to win two auctions.

Denmark foresees at least 6GW of offshore wind being installed at six locations by the end of 2030: three in the North Sea, 1.8-2.2GW in the Kattegat, and 1GW in the Baltic Sea (see map above).

Each 1GW of offshore wind is expected to require about DKr16bn ($2.3bn) of investment excluding hydrogen-related equipment such as electrolysers.

The country currently has an installed offshore wind capacity of 2.7GW, which is scheduled to rise to 3.7GW in 2027, when the Thor project currently under construction in the North Sea is due to be completed.

Read more from the original source:

Denmark launches 6GW offshore wind tender with an eye on production of green hydrogen and e-fuels - Hydrogen Insight

Former president Donald Trump repeatedly ranted about wind power during a fundraising dinner with oil and gas industry executives last week, claiming that the renewable-energy source is unreliable, unattractive and bad for the environment.

I hate wind, Trump told the executives over a meal of chopped steak at his Mar-a-Lago Club and resort in Florida, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation.

Trumps comments reveal how he is wooing potential donors with his long-standing hostility to wind farms and pledges to halt this form of renewable energy if he returns to office. His stance poses a potential threat to one of the linchpins of Americas clean-energy transition, according to more than a dozen Trump allies, energy experts and offshore wind industry officials.

Even if President Biden were to win reelection, experts say, opponents of offshore wind will remain emboldened by Trumps stance and well positioned to challenge a new generation of projects in federal waters.

And if Trump were to return to the White House?

If I were in the offshore wind industry, I would probably be pretty, pretty nervous, said a former Trump administration energy official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

The Trump campaign did not respond to specific questions for this story, and it has not elaborated on his energy policies, which he has often summarized as drill, baby, drill. In an emailed statement, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the former president would make America energy dominant again.

Energy analysts say they expect a second Trump administration would slow the pace of offshore wind lease sales and environmental reviews. These steps could undercut the industry at the very moment when it needs to accelerate to meet Bidens goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035, and to help New England reduce its deep dependence on imported gas and oil.

Project reviews and auction schedules could slow substantially, potentially to the point of a de facto pause, analysts with ClearView Energy Partners wrote in a recent note to clients. In short: the regulatory uncertainty from the upcoming election could keep project developers on the sidelines.

A Trump Interior Department would also prioritize offshore oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico over offshore wind auctions, said William Perry Pendley, who served as acting director of Interiors Bureau of Land Management under Trump.

The priority has to be oil and gas, Pendley said, adding, I dont think theres a reason to press forward on wind.

Trump told executives at the fundraising dinner he would open up the Gulf of Mexico to drilling, a person with knowledge of the meeting said, lift Bidens pause on new liquefied natural gas exports, speed up drilling permits, reverse regulations aimed at deploying electric vehicles, and do what he could to help the oil and gas industry. He listened to each executive for about four or five minutes.

Pointing out the window to the Atlantic Ocean at one point, one attendee said, the former president claimed that offshore wind turbines break down when they are exposed to saltwater though these projects are designed to resist saltwater corrosion.

Near the end of the meeting, Trump told executives that they should contribute to his campaign the leader of his main super PAC was in the room because he was trailing Biden financially. His policies would be much better for the oil and gas industry than those of Biden, and hed do much of what they wanted on Day 1, he said.

In addition to political uncertainty, offshore wind developers face significant economic challenges. Interest rates and supply chain bottlenecks have contributed to the demise of some projects, including two in New Jersey late last year.

Democrats are doing their best to lock in commercial-scale offshore wind projects before Trump has a chance to halt them. The Biden administration has already approved eight, including one that is up and running. Democratic governors in the Northeast have also reinforced their commitments to deploying more offshore wind energy, regardless of the balance of power in Washington.

If Biden were to win a second term, he would be in a position to accelerate offshore wind along the Gulf and West coasts, and add more capacity to the Atlantic. Once those steel turbines are anchored to the ocean floor, they would be hard to scuttle one reason the stakes now are so high.

Trumps crusade against wind power dates to 2006, when he bought an 1,800-acre estate in Scotland near a planned wind farm that he warned would be monstrous and really ugly.

The Trump Organization sought to build a golf course there, and it sued to block the wind project, saying the turbines would ruin the view for golfers. In December 2015, less than a year before the U.S. election, judges on Britains top court unanimously rejected that claim.

But the battle raged on. While in the White House, Trump frequently attacked the clean-energy source, suggesting without evidence that it causes cancer.

If you have a windmill anywhere near your house, congratulations, your house just went down 75 percent in value, Trump said in a 2020 speech. And they say the noise causes cancer. And of course its like a graveyard for birds.

There are no known instances of wind farms causing cancer. While turbines can kill birds, research suggests that house cats cause far more bird deaths in the United States each year, and that painting the turbine blades black can help reduce fatalities.

Yet taking a cue from Trumps anti-wind rhetoric, Interior delayed the approval of the first major U.S. offshore wind farm in 2019. Then-Interior Secretary David Bernhardt extended the environmental review of Vineyard Wind, a proposed wind farm near Marthas Vineyard, Mass.

The decision pushed back the timeline for the project, which had planned to start operating in 2021. It also cast a pall of uncertainty over the entire offshore wind sector, as other developers worried about the administration potentially interfering in their own projects.

Bernhardt, who now chairs the Center for American Freedom at the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank, did not respond to requests for comment. Bernhardt has been talking with energy executives and others in recent weeks about policies in a second Trump term, according to a person familiar with the outreach, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

Today, the forces opposing offshore wind have multiplied and become more powerful. Fossil fuel interests have worked with right-wing think tanks and community groups to block projects up and down the East Coast, according to a recent report by Brown Universitys Climate and Development Lab.

Several of these groups have repeated Trumps false claims that wind turbines are killing whales and driving the marine mammals crazy. Many are now feeling emboldened by the former presidents rhetoric.

Its a shot in the arm to our movement, said Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast New Jersey, which describes itself as a grass-roots group made up of residents, homeowners, business owners, fishermen and visitors.

Trump rightly sees offshore wind as a boondoggle, said H. Sterling Burnett, director of the Arthur B. Robinson Center on Climate and Environmental Policy at the Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank that has called climate change a hoax and has sued to stop an offshore wind project off Virginia.

Early on, Protect Our Coast received support from the Delaware-based Caesar Rodney Institute, a think tank that has been backed by fossil fuel interests such as American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and the American Energy Alliance. The Heartland Institute received funding from oil giant ExxonMobil until 2008.

Regardless of the election, officials in the Biden administration and the Northeast are forging ahead with ambitious offshore wind goals. And they are making union labor a key Democratic constituency central to this push.

Interior this month approved the nations eighth large offshore wind project, south of Marthas Vineyard. Overall, the Biden administration has approved more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind projects enough to power nearly 4 million homes.

In New England, which relies on natural gas to fuel nearly 43 percent of its power generation, Vineyard Wind is now delivering power to roughly 30,000 homes, despite the delay under Trump. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D), who has set a goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2030, has praised the developers for agreeing to hire hundreds of union workers.

In a whole new industry like offshore wind, were seeing the beginnings of workers coming together and collectively organizing, said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the countrys largest federation of labor unions. These are all things that would be at risk if there were a second Trump administration. So we think it couldnt be more dire.

Yet Rebecca Tepper, secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said Trumps false claims about wind power wont stop the states progress.

The former presidents claims, like a lot of his statements, have been verified as false over and over again, Tepper said. Were busy working with developers and moving forward.

Excerpt from:

Trump says he hates wind power at fundraiser with oil executives - The Washington Post

Photo: Nicholas Doherty via Unsplash.

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Dozens of Humboldt County officials and local stakeholders are headed to the East Coast next week for a firsthand look at Vineyard Wind 1, the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the United States. The trip will give local leaders a chance to meet with the whole Vineyard Offshore team and learn more about some of the challenges associated with offshore wind development as well as some of the perks from communities that have already gone through the planning process.

The project, located about 35 miles off the coast of mainland Massachusetts, is well underway. Earlier this year, the developers, who are planning to build a floating offshore wind farm here on the North Coast,completed the first phase of Vineyard Wind 1 following the installation of five fixed-bottom turbines each capable of generating 13 megawatts of electricity. The turbines are operating at full capacity and generating enough energy to power 30,000 homes, according to a press release from Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healeys office.

Reached for additional information about the upcoming excursion, county spokesperson Catarina Gallardo said around 30 local offshore wind delegates are expected to go on the trip, including Supervisor Natalie Arroyo and Michelle Bushnell, County Administrative Officer Elishia Hayes, Economic Development Director Scott Adair, members of the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District and city representatives from Arcata, Eureka and Fortuna, among others. Staff from the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development will also be in attendance. A complete list of the offshore wind delegation can be found here.

The purpose of this trip is to gain a real-life practical view and understanding of offshore wind development in Massachusetts so local leaders will have the opportunity to make more informed decisions in Humboldt County regarding offshore wind, Gallardo told the Outpost. It is crucial for the county to understand offshore wind processes in other communities to evaluate their applicability in our own community.

The delegation will also have an opportunity to hear actionable advice and strategies that could be adapted for local implementation and solicit feedback on what more experienced communities would do differently if given the chance, she added.

The county secured a $1.5 million Federal Workforce Information Opportunity Act grant through the California Employment Development Department to send staff on the trip. The grant funds will also cover an upcoming trip to Hull, England where delegates will attend the Offshore Wind Connections 2024 Annual Conference.[CORRECTION: Although the grant award covers international travel, the delegation will not travel to England this year, Gallardo told the Outpost in a follow-up statement.]

When the delegation returns, theyll work with county staff to produce a detailed report summarizing their trip that will be presented to the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors.

Read more from the original source:

Humboldt County Officials Headed to Massachusetts Next Week to Check Out Vineyard Offshore's Wind Farm - Lost Coast Outpost

Flotation Energy and Vrgrnn, a joint venture between Plenitude (Eni) and HitecVision, have obtained the offshore planning approval for the Green Volt floating wind farm offshore Scotland.

With onshore consent announced earlier this month, Green Volt has now received all its planning approvals and remains on track to be the first commercial-scale floating offshore wind farm in Europe.

When completed, Green Volt will include up to 35 floating wind turbines, providing up to 560 MW of renewable energy capacity.

As part of Crown Estate Scotlands Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) leasing round, the project will deliver renewable electricity to oil and gas platforms, replacing existing natural gas and diesel power generation. Green Volt will also provide electricity to the UK grid.

Green Volt, 50 per cent owned by Flotation Energy and 50 percent by Vrgrnn, is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 1 million tonnes per annum.

It is great news that we have consented the first project in the Crown Estate Scotlands Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round this is a significant milestone which will help secure Scotlands place at the forefront of floating wind technology, First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf said.

We have already underlined our commitment to making Scotland a global leader in offshore wind by committing to invest up to 500m over 5 years to catalyse private investment in the infrastructure and manufacturing facilities critical to the growth of the sector. Investor confidence in Scotlands renewable sector is growing as illustrated by significant investments in ScotWind leasing rounds and in the ports and supply chain infrastructure facilities that will enable the sector to develop. We have a strong record in delivering robust consents, ensuring the right projects are built in the right place at the right time. Ahead of the Allocation Round 6 (AR6) application window closing, the relevant consents and marine licences were issued for two floating offshore wind projects as well as one wave and three tidal energy projects, allowing all of them to go forward.

Back in 2023, Flotation Energy and Vrgrnnsecured a leasefor two floating offshore wind projects in Crown Estate Scotlands Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) round.

That same year, the developers signed exclusivity agreements for the Green Volt and Cenos floating offshore wind projects.

Gaining consent just over a year after our seabed exclusivity was awarded is a testament to the commitment, speed and determination of our Green Volt team, the Scottish Government and its key agencies, Nicol Stephen, CEO at Flotation Energy, said.

Green Volt is of international significance, placing Scotland at the leading edge of a new floating wind sector. This multi-billion pound development can now move forward confidently, creating hundreds of local jobs and proving that the UK and Scottish supply chain is ready to deliver commercial scale floating projects, at pace.

Green Volt is expected to deliver its first power in 2029.

With Green Volt being Europes first commercial-scale floating wind project, achieving offshore consent for the project marks an important moment for the whole offshore wind industry. At 560 MW, Green Volt serves as an essential stepping stone from current small-scale projects to gigawatt-size developments, supporting the supply chain in scaling up new technology, Olav Hetland, CEO at Vrgrnn, said.

Floating wind is set to be a huge global market in the decades to come. By being a frontrunner, Scotland is now positioned to be home to world-leading expertise and a whole industry of new jobs. Green Volt will deploy pioneering technology at an unprecedented scale, advancing what is possible in renewable energy.

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NOTE: The original article was amended, the first power from the project is expected in 2029 and not in 2026 as initially stated.

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Europe's First Commercial-Scale Floating Offshore Wind Farm Secures All Planning Approvals | Offshore Wind - Offshore WIND

Aberdeen-headquartered OEG Renewables has landed a multi-year deal with rsted covering its offshore wind projects in the north-eastern US.

As part of the deal, for an undisclosed amount, OEG will provide eight portable generator sets with technician support for rsteds 132MW South Fork Wind project.

The agreement gives OEG topside division exclusivity for all temporary power scopes rsted require during commissioning of their projects.

OEG said temporary generators provide critical power to the turbine during commissioning activities prior to a grid connection.

Wind projects also use temporary generators during operations and maintenance downtime.

In addition to the South Fork Wind project, which will provide power to New Yorks Long Island, rsted is also developing the 704MW Revolution Wind project.

Revolution Wind will provide power to the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut.

The state governments of New York and Connecticut are targeting a 100% renewables powered electricity grid by 2040.

Rhode Island is aiming to achieve the same target by 2030.

OEG said the rsted deal marks a strengthening of its presence in the US offshore wind market.

The groups chief executive officer John Heiton said the deal will support the expansion of offshore wind in the US and pave the way for future projects.

Now operating in over 60 countries, Aberdeens OEG Group is targeting rapid expansion into the growing global offshore renewables market.

Last year, the company raised $140 million (98.5 million) to pursue acquisitions in the offshore wind sector.

OEG later acquired Dutch subsea and topside services firm Bluestream Offshore, and the company posted a 35% increase in revenues across 2023.

The expansion push is part of OEG Renewables plans to establish itself as a UK Tier One contractor in the green energy space.

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OEG Renewables lands US offshore wind contract with rsted - Energy Voice

Vattenfall and BASF have agreed the sale of 49 percent of Vattenfall's Nordlicht 1 and 2 wind farms to BASF. The two companies are thus deepening their partnership in the field of renewable energy.

Nordlicht is already Vattenfall's second major offshore wind project in which BASF is participating as a partner. In 2021, BASF acquired almost half of the shares in the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea.The Nordlicht wind project is being built in the German North Sea without state subsidies and, with a total installed capacity of 1.6 gigawatts, will be the largest offshore wind farm project in realization for Vattenfall to date.

Vattenfall is responsible to develop and construct the Nordlicht sites and intends to use its share of future electricity generation to supply customers in Germany with fossil-free electricity. BASF will use their share to supply its chemical production sites in Europe, especially in Ludwigshafen.

Nordlicht is already Vattenfall's second major offshore wind project in which BASF is participating as a partner. In 2021, BASF acquired almost half of the shares in the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea.

"BASF is keeping its word and remains on track with its transformation. With the investment in Nordlicht 1 and 2, we will now have the necessary amounts of renewable energy to implement the next steps of the transformation in Europe and especially at our largest site in Ludwigshafen. Together with our long-standing partner Vattenfall, we are creating the conditions for achieving our 2030 targets of 25% less emissions compared to 2018," says Martin Brudermller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF.

Offshore wind energy is an essential contributor to the energy transition in Europe and is expected to replace fossil fuels on a large scale. Partnerships play a crucial role in transforming European industries, while strengthening competitiveness. We are pleased to deepen our relationship with BASF for yet another important offshore wind project and that way accelerate the journey to fossil freedom together, says Anna Borg, President and CEO of Vattenfall.

The Nordlicht wind farm area is located 85 kilometres north of the island of Borkum in the German North Sea and consists of two separate sites: Nordlicht 1 with a capacity of around 980 megawatts and Nordlicht 2 with around 630 megawatts. Once fully operational, electricity production is expected to total around 6 terawatt hours (TWh) per year, which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of 1.6 million German households. Subject to the final investment decision, which is expected in 2025, construction of Nordlicht 1 and 2 is expected to begin in 2026. The wind farms are expected to be fully operational in 2028.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.

About BASF

Chemistry for a sustainable future, that's what BASF stands for. We combine economic success with the protection of the environment and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers from almost all industries and in almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of 68.9 billion worldwide in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. For more information, see http://www.basf.com.

About Vattenfall

Vattenfall is a leading European energy company that has been driving the electrification of industry, powering homes and modernising people's lifestyles through innovation and collaboration for more than 100 years. Our goal is fossil freedom a future where we enable everyone to live, move and produce things fossil-free. Across our value chain, we aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. We employ around 21,000 people across the Group, have around 14 million customers and operate mainly in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK. Vattenfall is wholly owned by the Swedish state. Further information: Vattenfall We are working on fossil freedom

For further information, please contact:

Lutz Wiese, Vattenfall Media Relations, +49173626 38 82, lutz.wise@vattenfall.de

Thomas Nonnast, BASF Corporate Media Relations, +49173626 86 27, Thomas.nonnast@basf.com

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Vattenfall and BASF sign purchase agreement for 49 percent of Germany's Nordlicht offshore wind farms - Vattenfall