Vineyard Wind began offshore construction in late 2022, achieved steel-in-the-water
Vineyard Wind 1,, OCS-A 0520, 13 。GE62Haliade-X,804,40。 2019 。 2021 11
BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced that Massachusetts'' first offshore wind project, Vineyard Wind 1, delivered power for the project''s first phase to the New England electric grid. The Vineyard Wind 1 project is the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the nation to begin initial operations. It now has five turbines of the 62 planned operating at full capacity and is currently generating 68 megawatts (MW) of power, enough to power 30,000 homes in Massachusetts.
An 806-megawatt project located 14 miles off the coast of Martha''s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind will generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent job years, save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking 325,000 cars off the road annually. The project has already created nearly 2,000 high-quality, skilled jobs since 2017, including close to 1,000 union jobs.
Construction of the entire Vineyard Wind 1 project runs through the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, the first port facility in the nation specifically designed for offshore wind. Currently, the project has successfully installed nine turbines and is in the process of installing the 10th, with preparations underway to transport the 11th turbine to the offshore project site. Building on the 68 megawatts currently in operation, additional power will be delivered to the grid sequentially, with each turbine starting production once it completes the commissioning process.
"This marks a turning point in the clean energy transition. After many decades of advocacy, research, policymaking, and finally construction, America''s offshore wind industry has gone from a dream to reality," said Governor Maura Healey. "Across Massachusetts, in 30,000 homes and businesses, when you turn on the light, you will now be using clean, affordable energy. This will make the air we breathe safer and healthier, save customers money, and bring us one step closer to achieving net-zero emissions. I''m grateful to the Legislature for their leadership in developing our offshore wind industry, state and local officials for their efforts, and the union workers who built this industry from the ground up."
"Massachusetts makes history again with power flowing from Vineyard Wind," said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. "This is a victory for the many partnerships that got us to this moment – from the development of the historic New Bedford Port, to the groundbreaking Project Labor Agreement, to the vision of the Legislature and advocates. It takes the faith, vision, and hard work of a lot of people to make this moment possible."
"Massachusetts has been at the forefront on offshore wind in the United States, and this is a historic milestone in our clean energy revolution," said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "It''s not easy to stand up a new industry, but we will continue to forge ahead and keep growing the industry to lower energy costs for our families and businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Commonwealth."
"Developing new offshore wind is the backbone of Massachusetts'' clean energy policies and is paramount to achieving our clean energy transition and emissions reduction targets," said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony. "It''s gratifying to see the blades spinning on the Vineyard Wind project, and we look forward to advancing our current solicitation, which is critical to further economic development priorities for Massachusetts while securing clean, resilient energy for ratepayers."
"Congratulations to Vineyard Wind - It''s incredibly exciting to witness the tangible impact of our collective dedication to combating the climate crisis," said Emily Reichert, CEO of MassCEC. "We''re thrilled to see this visionary concept come to life and contribute to the creation of a sustainable future for generations of Massachusetts residents to come."
"With a surge of clean power from Vineyard Wind to the Massachusetts grid, we''ve entered a new era of energy production in the US," said Klaus S. Moeller, CEO of Vineyard Wind and Chief Project Officer for Vineyard Offshore. "These 68 megawatts are powering thousands of homes and business right now, while also providing a glimpse at our clean energy future. Working together with our partners throughout the Commonwealth, we are turning the promise of our industry into reality."
Vineyard Wind 1 is a joint venture of Avangrid, Inc. and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its affiliate Vineyard Offshore. From the outset of this project, Vineyard Wind recognized the importance of building and supporting a workforce of local, highly skilled, and diverse tradespeople. The valuable collaboration with union leadership on this project is a prime example of how this new industry can be a responsive member of the communities it serves, ensuring accessible and family-sustaining careers.
An 806-megawatt project located 14 miles off the coast of Martha''s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind will generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent job years, save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking 325,000 cars off the road annually.
Massachusetts & Offshore Wind
Massachusetts has long been a national leader on offshore wind and was the first state in the country to move forward on a utility-scale offshore wind project. In 2016, Massachusetts passed the landmark Energy Diversity Bill, which required Massachusetts to pursue contracts for offshore wind and was a major step to expand clean energy in the state.
Under Governor Healey, Massachusetts issued its fourth and largest offshore wind solicitation to date in August of 2023, for up to 3,600 MW, which represents 25 percent of the state''s annual electricity demand. In October of 2023, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island announced first-in-the-nation offshore wind multi-state coordination memorandum of understanding. Combined, the three states have the authority to solicit and procure up to 7,000 MW of offshore wind. Bids are due by March 27, 2024.
On Tuesday, January 2, 2024, Vineyard Wind delivered approximately 5 MW of power from one turbine to the grid. Following that critical milestone, the project has provided power from each of the first five turbines intermittently, as it ramped up to initial operations. The power from the project interconnects to the New England grid in Barnstable, transmitted by underground cables that connect to a substation further inland on Cape Cod. Once completed, the project will consist of 62 wind turbines.
Offshore wind is a critical energy resource in the Northeast region, and is uniquely positioned to meet the New England region''s winter peak demand. In 2018, ISO New England released an assessment, which found that 800 MW of offshore wind during a two-week cold snap would have saved ratepayers $40-45 million and avoided more than 108,000 metric tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to 5 percent of the region''s annual emissions. According to the state''s 2050 Clean Energy and Climate Plan, offshore wind will be foundational to Massachusetts'' energy supply in 2050 and will provide clean, affordable, sustainable energy for ratepayers.
EEA negotiated approximately $19 million from Vineyard Wind for a Compensatory Mitigation Fund to offset direct, indirect, and cumulative economic impacts to the Massachusetts fishing industry. Disbursements from this fund to fishers will be overseen by a third-party administrator. EEA also negotiated $1,750,000 for a Fisheries Innovation Fund to facilitate coexistence of the fishing and offshore wind sectors by supporting programs for technology and innovation upgrades and/or fund fisheries studies. The Innovation Fund is overseen by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries with the input of an appointed Advisory Panel comprised of fishing industry stakeholders representing the various user groups within the geographic area of fisheries impacted.
Congressman Bill Keating
State Senator Karen E. Spilka (Middlesex and Norfolk), Massachusetts Senate President
"Today we take a momentous step towards a clean energy future powered by wind - and our Commonwealth''s leadership on finding creative solutions to the environmental crisis. Today, and for decades to come, our environment and our residents will reap the benefits of the hard work of advocates, designers, laborers and policymakers who have put this project on the path from conception to reality. I''m grateful to my colleagues in the legislature, the Healey-Driscoll Administration, and the leaders at Vineyard Wind for making this a priority, and I look forward to seeing more of Massachusetts become powered by the wind."
State Representative Ronald Mariano (3rdNorfolk), Massachusetts Speaker of the House
"This milestone is the first of many on the path to transforming Massachusetts into a regional hub for offshore wind and is proof of the incredible potential that the Commonwealth has to lead the country, and the world, towards a clean energy future. I want to thank the folks at Avangrid and CIP for their commitment to delivering clean energy to the people of Massachusetts, along with my colleagues in the House and our partners in state government who helped to turn this long-pursued vision into a reality."
State Representative Jeffrey N. Roy (10th Norfolk), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy
"It''s great news that the Vineyard Wind project has delivered full power to consumers across the region today. This marks the beginning of a very exciting future for offshore wind generation here in Massachusetts and across the country. As a national leader in offshore wind and clean energy generation, Massachusetts has set the bar for what is possible in combating the negative effects of climate change. I commend the hard work and dedication of all involved to reach this historic moment."
State Senator Mark C. Montigny (Second Bristol and Plymouth)
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