Wind

US offshore wind's first supersize turbine in the water for Vineyard

In major sector milestone, nation's first commercial scale project has successfully installed a 13MW Haliade-X, the largest turbine available outside China

. Vineyard Wind installed the US' first 13MW Haliade-X.
. Vineyard Wind installed the US' first 13MW Haliade-X.Foto: Vineyard Wind

Amid economic turmoil and litigation in US offshore wind, the sector finally has something to celebrate: the completed installation of the nation’s first 13MW GE Haliade-X turbine by Vineyard Wind 1.

The Haliade-X is the largest turbine model available outside China and is more than twice the capacity of current models operating in US waters at Block Island off Rhode Island and in Virginia. Vineyard is only the second project worldwide to install a Haliade-X, following Dogger Bank this summer.

“This is a monumental achievement and a proud day for offshore wind in the US that proves this industry is real,” said Iberdrola-controlled Avangrid’s CEO Pedro Azagra.

Belgian marine contractor Deme is partnering with US firm Foss Maritime on the installation of the 806MW project owned by a joint venture (JV) of Iberdrola's Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).

Vineyard, the first commercial scale US project to be fully approved and enter installation, has endured a long and difficult journey to get to this moment.

The project was first proposed nearly ten years ago and has overcome repeated setbacks including a last-minute delay by the administration of former President Donald Trump in 2019 that forced major revisions to its construction and operations plan.

It expects to complete installation of half of its total 62 turbines and start sending power to the grid by the end of this year, with full completion and commissioning next year.

“Vineyard Wind is the future of American offshore wind, and it’s a future full of clean, sustainable energy and tremendous potential for job creation and reducing carbon pollution,” said Tim Evans, head of North America for CIP.

The turbine installation is welcome news for a sector buffeted by global economic headwinds and mounting public opposition.

Some 18% of total contracted capacity – 3.2GW – has been withdrawn this year and nearly the entire US pipeline is seeking to renegotiate offtake as recent high inflation and interest rates challenge returns of projects bid years earlier at much lower cost expectations.

Research consultancy BloombergNEF slashed its most recent 2030 capacity forecasts by 29% to a mere 16.4GW, down from over 23GW only last June, as New York’s rejection of developers’ pleas for contract hikes put over 4GW at risk of delay or cancellation.

“Having the first offshore wind turbine in the water for the first commercial offshore wind farm in the US is an important symbolic milestone for our company, our customers, and our industry,” said Jan Kjaersgaard, CEO of GE Vernova offshore wind.

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Published 18 October 2023, 17:27Updated 19 October 2023, 06:44
AmericasUSVineyard WindCIPAvangrid