US transmission developer Anbaric has applied to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to develop an offshore grid system off southern New England that is designed to connect up to 16GW of offshore wind capacity to the mainland.
The Southern New England OceanGrid would be an independent, open-access offshore transmission system on the outer continental shelf connecting existing wind lease areas via a common link to shore.
“Benefits will include greater efficiency, more reliability, fewer environmental impacts, and the ability to direct the energy to specific areas, like Boston and/or the south coast,” Anbaric said.
The company said the grid would be developed in phases over 20 years connecting offshore wind power to Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Transmission line routes would connect BOEM lease areas directly into Boston, Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay, Massachusetts’ south coast and Connecticut to provide offshore wind-generated electricity to area residents.
Anbaric chief executive Edward Krapels said: “As offshore wind’s potential gains momentum, it’s time to think big and plan rationally.
“It becomes clearer every day that transmission must lead the way towards greater scale, reliability and efficiency, just as it has in Europe.
“Individual wind farm developers have gotten the industry off to a good start, but we now need a networked grid to minimise conflict and create a truly reliable offshore transmission system that will substantially de-risk wind projects.”
Anbaric has requested that BOEM post the application in the federal register for public comment no later than 1 January next year.
Once posted, there will be a 30-day public comment period during which stakeholders may indicate that they have a competitive interest, the company said.
The public comment period is also an opportunity for feedback on environmental, fishing, historic and cultural resource, tribal and economic impacts, it added.
Krapels said: “Anbaric’s Southern New England OceanGrid offers the advantage of reducing the overall footprint and potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of transmission infrastructure.
“The fishing industry that has been working these waters for hundreds of years is one use that will benefit from rationally planned and implemented transmission.”
Anbaric currently has an application with BOEM for a New York/New Jersey OceanGrid that remains under review.