US wind energy continues to grow
By:
Lewis Holdsworth
25/03/2015
BOEM
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
announced today that it has executed a wind energy research lease with
the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy
(DMME).
This is BOEM’s first executed wind energy
research lease. Under this lease, DMME proposes to design, develop and
demonstrate a grid-connected, 12-megawatt (MW) offshore wind test facility
on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) off the coast of Virginia – adjacent
to the Virginia Wind Energy Area (WEA). The data obtained and lessons learned
from this project will be made publicly available and inform the future
production of renewable energy within the WEA.
“Developing our clean energy resources
is an essential element of building a new Virginia economy,” said
Governor Terry McAuliffe. “With this research lease, Virginia is leading
the way in building wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean and taking the
next step toward the clean energy economy we need to create jobs and lower
energy costs now and into the future.”
“The data collected under this research
lease will help us understand the wind potential, weather and other conditions
relevant to standing up wind power generation offshore Virginia,”
said BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper. “This data will be valuable
not only to BOEM and DMME, but also to other government agencies, the offshore
renewable energy industry, universities, environmental organizations and
others.”
In 2012 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
announced funding awards for seven proposed "Offshore Wind Demonstration
Projects." One of the awards was given to Dominion Resources,
Inc., which partnered with DMME and others to establish the Virginia Offshore
Wind Technology Advancement Project (VOWTAP). This was also one of three
projects to receive a second funding award from DOE in 2014 for deployment
activities.
In February 2013, DMME submitted a lease
application to BOEM for the installation and operation of two 6-MW turbines,
associated cabling to shore, and ancillary metocean facilities, such as
meteorological buoys. The electricity generated by these turbines could
power 3,000 homes.
Later in 2013, BOEM determined there was
no competitive interest in the area where the state agency proposed to
conduct these activities and proceeded with the leasing process on a non-competitive
basis. That decision cleared the way for DMME to submit a research activities
plan for which BOEM developed an environmental assessment (EA) that was
published in December 2014 for public comment. Based on the comments received
and depending on the results of ongoing consultations, BOEM will revise
the EA with a Finding of No Significant Impact or issue a notice of intent
to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
Upon completion of BOEM’s technical and
environmental reviews and other reviews required by Federal law, BOEM may
approve, approve with modifications or disapprove the Research Activities
Plan. DMME must receive BOEM’s approval of its Research Activities Plan
prior to the installation of the two turbines and associated cabling to
shore.