Offshore wind power in the United States
[10] The shallow waters off the New England coast and proximity to load centers such as Boston, Providence, and Long Island make this area the most economical for both construction of wind farms and delivery of power to favorable nodes on the electric grid.
After the SAP is approved, the proponent will install weather buoys and engage survey vessels to develop sufficiently detailed information to complete the design of the wind farm – this will include identifying protected species habitats, unexploded ordnance, shipwrecks, and geological formations that could interfere with either the foundations for wind turbines or the electrical cabling.
After completing the survey, the proponent might choose to abandon the lease area if it appears development will be uneconomical, or else continue to final design and permitting, which culminates in the filing of a Construction and Operations Plan (COP).
[citation needed] In addition to the federal permitting process, all wind farms require state permits for their connections to the on-shore electric grid; even if an offshore project is constructed entirely in federal waters its "export cables" will need to transit state waters to reach the shore.
Other permits may be required to connect to the grid, such as certificate of public necessity, as well as private consents from an integrated electric utility or a regional transmission organization.
[citation needed] In January 2012, a "Smart from the Start" regulatory approach was introduced, designed to expedite the siting process while incorporating strong environmental protections.
[21] The NOAA Coastal Services Center (CSC) has released a cadastre web tool to illustrate suitability of Eastern seaboard areas.
[22] In 2014, the Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced 3 new wind energy areas off the coast of North Carolina in accordance with the "Smart from the Start" approach, which totaled to around 307,590 acres of ocean.
Constructed by Orsted AS and Eversource Energy to service projects in the Northeast, the Eco Edison symbolizes a significant investment in overcoming industry challenges such as inflation and supply chain disruptions.
[citation needed] The full COP review considers impacts to protected marine ecosystems, commercial and recreational fishing, as well as historic and cultural resources.
The Coast Guard and Federal Aviation Administration evaluate each wind farm's COP for hazards to navigation and interference with coastal surveillance radars.
[28][29] To comply with the Jones Act[30][31] wind turbine installation vessels for $300 million could economically supply a schedule of 4 GW projects over 10 years.
The Charybdis wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) is under construction at Keppel AmFels Shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, scheduled for 2023.
[34][35] The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) has made grants for various projects to re-fit or develop new offshore wind ports for the assembly and staging of turbines and other windfarm infrastructure.
A study done from 2014 in Michigan analyzing the effects of offshore wind farms on the Great Lakes has shown improvement to air quality.
[71] As of 2020, the United States Department of Energy is funding two demonstration projects:[72] University of Maine's Aqua Ventus I, which plans to use a semisubmersible floating concrete foundation design and Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation's (LEEDCo's) 20 MW Icebreaker project[73] In 2021 the Biden administration approved large areas off the coast California for development of wind farms with floating turbines.
