Orsted-Eversource two-state Revolution US offshore wind array gets environmental nod
Regulator’s ‘preferred alternative’ would shrink project envelope by more than 400MW to allay stakeholder concerns as industry navigates burgeoning opposition
Danish developer Orsted and joint venture (JV) partner Eversource’s Revolution offshore wind project took a major step forward with the release of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the 704MW array off coastal Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Publication of the final EIS by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), regulator of energy development in federal waters, moves the project towards its record of decision (ROD) expected this summer, after which construction can begin.
“This milestone represents another important step forward in building a new clean energy economy here in the United States,” said BOEM director Elizabeth Klein.
The EIS analyses the potential environmental impacts of Revolution’s construction and operations plan (COP), which calls for up to 100 8-12MW wind turbines to be installed in the lease area some 15 miles (28 km) southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island, enough to power at least 300,000 homes.
It demonstrates “BOEM’s commitment to building clean power in a way that protects the environment and incorporates community feedback,” said Josh Kaplowitz, vice president for offshore wind at industry advocate American Clean Power Association.
This is the fourth offshore wind EIS released by BOEM as the agency advances the Biden administration’s 30GW by 2030 goal.
Along with the JV's other two projects, including the 920MW Sunrise Wind array to New York, Revolution underpins millions of dollars invested in local port and manufacturing.
All three projects will be marshalled out of Connecticut's State Pier in New London, while Rhode Island's ProvPort will host component manufacturing.
The release of the final EIS solidifies “the manufacturing base that will be key to the buildout of the US industry,” said Liz Burdock, CEO of trade group Business Network for Offshore Wind.
Stakeholder engagement
The stranding of more than two dozen giant whales on beaches in southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic is being blamed on offshore wind, spurring protests and growing opposition.
To reduce stakeholder opposition, BOEM’s ‘preferred alternative’ would reduce the total number of turbines to 65 to “reduce impacts to visual resources and benthic habitat”, the regulator said.
“BOEM used the feedback we received from Tribal Nations, industry, ocean users, communities, and stakeholders to help inform our decisions throughout the environmental review process,” Klein said.
BOEM’s preferred alternative would see two turbines moved and provide 14 alternative locations to allow for “further refinement for visual resources impact reduction on Martha’s Vineyard and Rhode Island, or for habitat impact reduction” on priority areas identified by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).
NMFS is the fisheries and coastal environmental watchdog of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The preferred alternative would enable Revolution to fulfil its contracted 400MW to Rhode Island and 304MW to Connecticut but offer little capacity to spare to meet forecasted demand growth in southern New England.
Connecticut mandates 2GW of offshore wind by 2030 while Rhode Island has tipped the sector for the major portion of its 100% renewable energy goal by 2030.
Connecticut meanwhile is in talks with Avangrid regarding power purchase agreements (PPAs) that the Iberdrola-controlled developer said are no longer viable with high inflation and interest rates.