U.S. state offshore wind agreements nearly double in 2021 after year of tremendous growth
For Immediate Release: December 17, 2021
Media Contact: Melinda Skea
Baltimore — Massachusetts state officials announced today that the Commonwealth selected two projects totaling 1,600 MW of offshore wind generation, bringing the total state commitment to over 3,200 MW. State law authorizes Massachusetts to procure up to 5,600 MW by 2027. The projects are expected to draw investments to the port of Salem and Falls River, incentivize new shipbuilding, and support construction of a cable facility at Brayton Point.
Actions by U.S. states and the federal government have created real momentum in the U.S. offshore wind industry over the past twelve months. With Massachusetts’ and Maryland’s announcement today, total U.S. state offshore wind procurement stands at over 17,100 MW, nearly double compared to 9,100 MW in January 2021. The Biden Administration has matched these efforts and adopted a whole-of-government approach to advance the U.S. offshore wind industry. In 2022, the federal government approved Construction and Operations Plans (COPs) for the first two commercial-scale offshore wind projects in U.S. waters – Vineyard Wind and South Fork Wind – expanding offshore wind development to the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico and, working with Congress, unlocked funding for port and transmission infrastructure.
The following quote can be attributed to Liz Burdock, CEO and president of Oceantic Network:
“Home to the first US. commercial-scale offshore wind farm, Massachusetts continues to drive the domestic offshore wind market forward with its full embrace of this generation technology. Today’s announcement that Massachusetts’ procured another 1,600 MW of offshore wind is a fitting end to a year that saw tremendous progress for the adoption of offshore wind industry as an important part of America’s clean energy portfolio. As 2021 ends, we can look back on a year that transformed U.S. offshore wind into a national industry with developments on three coasts supported by an emerging supply chain that reaches deep into America’s heartland. While progress in the U.S. has been noteworthy, the global growth of the offshore wind industry continues at a blistering pace, which will put further strain on supply chains. This further emphasizes the critical need for state and federal stakeholders to maintain momentum in 2022 and continue prioritizing domestic supply chain development and offshore wind adoption.”
Additional Information:
- Avangrid Press Release
- Mayflower Wind Press Release
Oceantic Network is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a robust offshore wind supply chain in the U.S. It advances the industry forward through education, facilitating partnerships, and events, including the International Partnership Forum, the largest offshore wind conference in America. Learn more at Oceantic.org.
