Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam, has signed an executive order which has set a goal of up to 2500MW of developed offshore wind capacity by 2026.
Under Executive Order 43, 30% of the state’s electricity system will be powered by renewable energy resources by 2030, with the view to begin producing 100% of electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050.
The executive order requires a plan that will include recommendations on the timeline and steps needed to achieve the offshore wind target, including working with state utility Dominion Energy and the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to submit a construction and operation plan (COP) for the project by 2021 with construction beginning by 2024.
In order to achieve the 30% target the order anticipates that at least 3GW of the state’s existing target of 5.5GW onshore wind and solar by 2028 should be under development by 2022.
This year Dominion Energy and its joint venture partner Orsted kicked off onshore construction of the $300m 12MW Coastal Virginia offshore wind pilot.
Installation of the project’s two 6MW Siemens Gamesa turbines is expected to start in spring 2020.