Vineyard Wind advances 1.2 GW Liberty Wind Power offshore project

This would be one of the largest offshore wind energy projects in the world, capable to generate enough emission-free energy to power more than 750,000 New York households.

In response to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s solicitation of offshore wind project proposals, offshore wind development company Vineyard Wind introduced Liberty Wind. The project includes 400-, 800- and 1,200-megawatt project size options.

The larger 1,200-megawatt bid, the most cost-effective option for New York ratepayers, would be one of the largest offshore wind projects in the world. Moreover, it would contribute significantly to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s objective of developing 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy to supply the city. A project this size would generate enough emission-free energy to power more than 750,000 New York households.

The project’s wind turbines wouldn’t be visible from any New York shoreline, as they are planned to be placed in federal waters 85 miles away from the nearest New York shore. The clean power Liberty Wind will generate will be delivered directly to the New York grid at an existing substation in Long Island. The power will be delivered by a submarine cable provided by transmission developer Anbaric Development Partners that comes to shore. The grid connection is set to utilize an advanced high-voltage direct current system that will ensure reliable delivery, while also enhancing the resiliency of New York’s grid, especially in outages caused by major storms.

“Our buried cable will bring renewable power into the heart of Long Island’s electric grid, where it can be distributed to hundreds of thousands of customers in New York. This is the first leg of a well-designed New York ocean grid for offshore wind,” said Anbaric CEO Ed Krapels, in a prepared statement.

Liberty Wind would also bring significant development to New York, estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and thousands of jobs in Long Island, the Capitol Region and New York City. Foundation components will be produced at a port facility in the Capitol Region and transported down the Hudson River to the project site in the Atlantic Ocean.

“Our team’s extensive offshore wind experience from around the world and nearby in New England, where we are building the nation’s first utility scale offshore wind project, allows us to deliver the best project for New York,” added Lars Thaaning Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind. “Liberty Wind will bring clean energy at the lowest price to New York ratepayers along with substantial economic benefits for the state through investments in local infrastructure and businesses and by utilizing the state’s existing supply chain and workforce.”

Anca Gagiuc, cpexecutive.com