New England for Offshore Wind (@NE4OSW) celebrated the selection of 2,678 MW and 200 MW of offshore wind bids for solicitations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, respectively.
“The selection of a total 2,878 MW of offshore wind projects is a big win for Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and it demonstrates the benefits of a collaborative procurement approach for New England. We urge Connecticut to take advantage of this moment and select bids to help realize the critical benefits that offshore wind will deliver for the people of Connecticut and the region,” said Kelt Wilska, Offshore Wind Director, Environmental League of Massachusetts, and NE4OSW Regional Lead. “The more than 100 members of the New England for Offshore Wind coalition believe that offshore wind is the single biggest lever we can pull to address the climate crisis, strengthen our regional economy, protect ratepayers, improve public health, and create family-sustaining union jobs. We are delighted that the states worked together on a multi-state solicitation, and we look forward to seeing more New England states collaborate, as the region expands development in new lease areas, such as the Gulf of Maine.”
“New England continues to lead the nation on offshore wind development as Massachusetts and Rhode Island announced bid selections in the first ever multi-state offshore wind solicitation,” said Amber Hewett, Senior Director of Offshore Wind Energy at National Wildlife Federation, and Wildlife Lead for NE4OSW. “With a combined 2,878 MW provisionally awarded, these states move closer to meeting their offshore wind energy goals. Following recent setbacks in the region, this procurement rebuilds momentum towards climate targets, can bolster confidence in this promising industry, and underscores the need for innovative policy solutions to help keep this critical endeavor on track. As these projects advance, we look forward to working with the government agencies, developers, and communities to ensure the highest standard of protections for wildlife and benefits for workers and communities.”
“This landmark multi-state procurement of 2,878 MW represents a significant step forward in our efforts to achieve our climate goals,” said Amanda Barker, Clean Energy Program Coordinator at Green Energy Consumers Alliance and Rhode Island State Lead for NE4OSW. “However, we must recognize that continued investment in offshore wind energy remains crucial to fully realizing our goals. The urgency of this transition cannot be overstated, and offshore wind is a critical component. While we celebrate this procurement, we urge the states to issue additional solicitations to ensure we meet our climate targets and access the wide-ranging benefits of offshore wind — from cleaner air and energy independence to boosting local economies”
“We are excited for the immense growth of the domestic offshore wind industry on the horizon,” said Sarah Giltz, Offshore Wind Director at BlueGreen Alliance and Labor Lead for NE4OSW “The selection of 2,878 MW worth of projects today creates a demand signal that we hope will encourage more investment in domestic manufacturing to ensure this industry can provide benefits to local workers and communities. Through strong labor standards and a commitment to powering our country on clean energy, we can create high-quality jobs and protect our environment for generations to come.”
“Offshore wind is an affordable, reliable, and clean energy resource to power New England at scale, all while building a new hallmark industry that opens economic opportunities across the region,” said Jeff Mauk, Director of Eastern State Policy at Ceres, and Business Lead for NE4OSW. “The business community has been excited by this collaborative, multi-state procurement process, and today celebrates the selection of 2,878 MW of new offshore wind capacity by Massachusetts and Rhode Island. We look forward to seeing these projects get underway, and then up and running, to deliver economic benefits for businesses, households, and workers across New England.”
“Offshore wind is good for New England workers – it will bring thousands of high-quality, union jobs to our region,” said Patrick Crowley, Secretary-Treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. “We in the labor movement look forward to working with Ocean Winds, Vineyard Offshore, and Avangrid to develop offshore wind in a way that uplifts local communities and creates good jobs for working people.”
Background
Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut signed a first-of-its-kind memorandum of understanding in 2023 to coordinate the selection of projects for energy generation under each state’s respective offshore wind procurement process. By coordinating their procurements, the states sought to expand benefits for the region and capture cost reductions by developing projects at scale.
The three states requested proposals for up to 6.8 GW – 3.6 GW for MA, 2 GW for CT, and 1.2 GW for RI.
In early 2024, developers submitted four projects into the states’ solicitations.
CT, MA, RI individually and jointly:
Vineyard Wind 2 (1,200 MW)
New England Wind 1 (800 MW) & New England Wind 2 (1,080 MW)
SouthCoast Wind (1,200 MW)
CT, RI individually and jointly:
Starboard Wind (1,184 MW)
