(The Center Square) – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved US Wind’s Construction and Operations Plan for Maryland’s first offshore wind farm Tuesday.
The state has ambitious offshore wind goals and past failed agreements with Danish renewable energy giant Orsted.
“After more than four years of rigorous and robust analysis, we are thrilled to have secured this final BOEM approval,” said US Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski. “US Wind’s projects will produce massive amounts of homegrown energy and will help satisfy the region’s critical need for more electricity, all while supporting good local jobs.”
The Maryland Offshore Wind Project is planned in three phases, two of which have been named – MarWin and Momentum Wind – and have received offshore renewable energy certificates from the state of Maryland.
But US Wind’s plan “considers” a third phase: the build out of the remainder of its federal lease area, which would ultimately double the power capacity of the first two phases.
MarWin is to consist of no more than 22 turbines and Momentum Wind, no more than 55, according to US Wind. The former is expected to generate about 300 megawatts of electricity and the latter, about 800, for a total of 1,100 MWs, or 1.1 gigawatts. That’s enough to power about 342,000 homes, according to US Wind.
But the bureau approved the installation of up to 114 offshore turbines, for a total potential 2.2 GWs.
“The project has the potential to generate up to 2,200 megawatts of clean, renewable energy for the Delmarva Peninsula and power over 718,000 homes,” in addition to “supporting almost 2,680 jobs annually over seven years,” according to BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein.
In 2023, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed the Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources Act, which set a goal for Maryland of 8.5 GWs of offshore wind energy generation by 2031. The Biden administration has so far approved “more than 15 gigawatts of clean energy from 10 offshore wind projects.”
If the projects are successful, the country will be more than halfway to the administration’s goal of generating 30 GWs of offshore wind by 2030.
