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Released February 06, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
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Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Citing an executive order on offshore wind, and following program commitments from Dominion Energy Incorporated (NYSE:D) (Richmond, Virginia) for a project offshore Virginia, the federal U.S. government cancelled a meeting on a windfarm slated for the waters off New York.
The Vineyard Mid-Atlantic was one of the six programs outlined in a wind lease for the New York Bight. It would call for as many as 117 wind turbines for a total installed capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW), enough to meet the energy demand of more than 700,000 homes.
It was also slated for two export cables that would make landfall on the New York coast.
During former President Joe Biden's last few weeks in office, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the operational plans, which would start the clock for a public comment period.
Part of the Interior Department, BOEM said Tuesday it was responding to an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump that suspends leasing for offshore wind.
"The memorandum also pauses new or renewed approvals, rights-of-way, permits, leases or loans for offshore wind projects, pending a review of federal wind leasing and permitting practices," it said. "As a result, the February virtual public meetings on BOEM's NOI to prepare an EIS for the proposed Vineyard Mid-Atlantic Project have been cancelled."
State authorities in New Jersey had already suspended efforts for offshore wind, and Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) (London, England) pulled the plug on its Atlantic Shores project following Trump's order. A joint venture between Shell and a subsidiary of EDF Renewables North America, the project was slated for 2.8 GW of energy over two phases, enough to meet the energy demands of about 1 million New Jersey residents.
Biden set a goal of establishing 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and another 15 GW in floating offshore capacity by 2035. That's highly unlikely now, due to Trump's order.
In response to Trump's actions, the American Clean Power Association said it agreed with the new administration that some of the permitting processes need overhauls, though his stance on offshore wind was off base.
"The possibility that the federal government could seek to actively oppose energy production by American companies on private land is at odds with our nation's character, as well as our national interests," Jason Grumet, the head of the association, said last month.
Since 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior approved eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects in federal waters and held five offshore wind lease sales, including offshore New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, and the first-ever sales for the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Earlier this week, Dominion Energy said it remained committed to its 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind. About 50% complete, Dominion said the project is on schedule for completion by the end of next year. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Plant Database can learn more about CVOW in a detailed plant profile.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
The Vineyard Mid-Atlantic was one of the six programs outlined in a wind lease for the New York Bight. It would call for as many as 117 wind turbines for a total installed capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW), enough to meet the energy demand of more than 700,000 homes.
It was also slated for two export cables that would make landfall on the New York coast.
During former President Joe Biden's last few weeks in office, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the operational plans, which would start the clock for a public comment period.
Part of the Interior Department, BOEM said Tuesday it was responding to an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump that suspends leasing for offshore wind.
"The memorandum also pauses new or renewed approvals, rights-of-way, permits, leases or loans for offshore wind projects, pending a review of federal wind leasing and permitting practices," it said. "As a result, the February virtual public meetings on BOEM's NOI to prepare an EIS for the proposed Vineyard Mid-Atlantic Project have been cancelled."
State authorities in New Jersey had already suspended efforts for offshore wind, and Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) (London, England) pulled the plug on its Atlantic Shores project following Trump's order. A joint venture between Shell and a subsidiary of EDF Renewables North America, the project was slated for 2.8 GW of energy over two phases, enough to meet the energy demands of about 1 million New Jersey residents.
Biden set a goal of establishing 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and another 15 GW in floating offshore capacity by 2035. That's highly unlikely now, due to Trump's order.
In response to Trump's actions, the American Clean Power Association said it agreed with the new administration that some of the permitting processes need overhauls, though his stance on offshore wind was off base.
"The possibility that the federal government could seek to actively oppose energy production by American companies on private land is at odds with our nation's character, as well as our national interests," Jason Grumet, the head of the association, said last month.
Since 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior approved eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects in federal waters and held five offshore wind lease sales, including offshore New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, and the first-ever sales for the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Earlier this week, Dominion Energy said it remained committed to its 2.6-GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind. About 50% complete, Dominion said the project is on schedule for completion by the end of next year. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Plant Database can learn more about CVOW in a detailed plant profile.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
