Southeastern New England leads the way for the up-and-coming offshore wind industry.
Rhode Island made national headlines in 2016 when Block Island Wind Farm, the nation’s first offshore wind farm, neared completion. The farm now supplies power to 17,000 homes in the state.
Eight years later, Rhode Island and the rest of Southeastern New England remain leaders in the industry. Vineyard Wind, which will ultimately power over 400,000 homes, began partial operations earlier this year. The wind farm is located 15 miles south of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and will be joined by four more offshore wind projects in Southeastern New England within the next six years.
According to Mary Cate Colapietro, a spokesperson for ISO New England, which is an “independent, not-for-profit corporation responsible for keeping electricity flowing across the six New England states,” the region would also benefit from wind energy during its winters to supplement natural gas used for heating.
Offshore wind is a relatively new source of renewable energy in the United States, but the industry is quickly growing. Colapietro explained that a substantial portion of the energy sourcing for the ISO energy grid — a source of electricity for many New England households — might come from wind in the future.
According to Chris Kearns, the acting commissioner for the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, the state plans to transition to 100% renewable energy by the end of 2033. The OER collaborates with companies and neighboring states in the development and funding of offshore wind — which gradually reduces dependence on natural gas — to reach their renewable energy goal, he added.
According to Dugan Becker, a spokesperson for SouthCoast Wind, a proposed Massachusetts wind farm project, Rhode Island’s “wealth of knowledge” of the ocean makes it uniquely suitable for the industry.
The Herald spoke with representatives of Southeastern New England’s completed and planned offshore wind projects to understand what Rhode Islanders should expect of the growing industry in the next few years.
Block Island Wind Farm — completed and operational in 2016
Developed in 2016, Block Island Wind Farm is the first offshore wind farm in the nation. Its five wind turbines generate 30 megawatts. One megawatt can power roughly 1,000 homes, Colapietro explained.
The project “laid the foundation for a new era in the state’s clean energy economy,” said Meaghan Wims, spokesperson for Ørsted, the operators of Block Island Wind Farm and several other energy projects.
Ørsted recently moved their co-headquarters to downtown Providence, where the company also plans to create a new Engineering, Procurement and Construction Hub. “Rhode Island has always been a focal point for Ørsted’s U.S. operations,” Wims said.
Vineyard Wind 1: completed and operational in 2024
Vineyard Wind 1, situated over 15 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, consists of 62 wind turbines that generate 800 megawatts of electricity. According to the project’s website, the wind farm is expected to generate enough renewable energy to offset 1.6 million tons of carbon emissions each year.
A representative of Vineyard Wind did not respond to a request for comment.
Revolution Wind: completion by 2026
Revolution Wind, located 15 miles south of the Rhode Island coast, will generate 704 megawatts of power, with 400 megawatts designated for the state, Kearns said.
Revolution Wind, operated by Ørsted, is the first multi-state offshore wind project in the country. The other portion of the energy will go toward powering Connecticut’s energy grid.
But the project has also garnered concern from fishermen regarding navigation and safety. Workers have complained about Revolution Wind’s suboptimal transit spacing, which they worry can lead to shipwrecks or interference with their business.
Ørsted “has worked hand-in-hand with fishermen, environmentalists and other ocean advocates to build consensus and protect marine life,” Wims wrote. To prevent misinformation, their team works to “provide regular updates, maintain fishing access and promote safe navigation during wind farm construction.”
New England Wind: completion by 2029
Approved in July of this year for development by Avangrid, New England Wind is expected to provide 2,600 MW of energy to the New England Coast. The project is split into two parts, New England 1 and 2, which are set to be completed by 2029.
SouthCoast Wind: completion by 2030
Construction on 200-megawatt SouthCoast Wind is slated to begin next year. The project is currently awaiting approval from the Public Utilities Commission, Kearns said.
The project is global offshore wind company Ocean Wind’s first foray into the North American wind energy industry.
After acquiring the federal lease area in 2018, the company has worked on compliance with permit standards, communicated with local fishermen and conducted field research, Becker said.
The team, along with other offshore wind developers in New England, hosts monthly community engagement events where fisheries and marine stakeholders can voice their concerns to SouthCoast researchers.
Other nearby projects
New York has also hopped on the offshore wind bandwagon. This March, the 132-megawatt South Fork Wind Farm off the coast of Montauk became the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in the country.
The project, developed by Ørsted and Eversource, generates power for 70,000 homes and businesses daily. In late September, Eversource sold its 50% share in both South Fork and Revolution Wind to Global Infrastructure Partners.
New York’s other offshore wind project, Sunrise Wind, is set to be fully operational by 2026, with a capacity of 924 megawatts. Ørsted, which oversees the project, anticipates that the wind farm will provide energy to nearly 600,000 homes.
