US real estate company Commercial Development Company is partnering with transmission developer Anbaric to set up a renewable energy centre at Brayton Point in Massachusetts.
The agreement to establish the Anbaric Renewable Energy Center builds on the CDC’s plan to transform the former Brayton Point coal-fired power plant site into a logistics port, manufacturing hub and support centre for offshore wind.
CDC said the central element of the Anbaric centre will be a $250m 1.2GW HVDC converter to serve the emerging offshore wind industry.
In addition, Anbaric will invest a further $400m to develop up to 400MW of battery storage on site.
Anbaric chief executive Edward Krapels said: “The Renewable Energy Center represents Anbaric’s broader vision for its Massachusetts OceanGrid project: high-capacity transmission infrastructure to maximize the potential of the region’s offshore wind energy resource.
“As Massachusetts considers harnessing more offshore wind, the right infrastructure needs to be envisioned and set in motion.
“An HVDC substation is an important piece not only for Brayton Point Commerce Center, but also Massachusetts’ status as a leader in offshore wind.”
Stephen Collins of CDC’s Brayton Point Commerce Center said: “We see Anbaric as a natural fit with the development of the Brayton Point Commerce Center.”
CDC has already removed two cooling towers from the site.