Maryland’s 2.2GW offshore wind farm just took a big step forward

US Wind, a planned 2.2 gigawatt (GW) offshore wind farm in Maryland, just took a major step toward obtaining all federal permits by the end of 2024.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today released US Wind’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), removing another hurdle for the project’s developers, Italian renewable energy developer Renexia, which must build up to 114 turbines with a combined capacity of 2,200 megawatts (MW), enough to power 770,000 homes with clean energy.

Jeff Grybowski, CEO of US Wind, said in an emailed statement: “We are now one step closer to obtaining all federal permits by the end of this year and look forward to the day when we can begin groundbreaking on the steel.”

The US Wind lease area is approximately 10 miles off the Maryland coast and approximately 10.4 miles offshore from Sussex County, Delaware. The project has three planned phases, two of which, MarWin and Momentum Wind, have received offshore renewable energy certificates from the state of Maryland.

The US Wind proposal also includes construction of up to four offshore substation platforms, one weather tower and up to four offshore export cable corridors that would land at Delaware Seashore State Park.

It is estimated that the development and construction phases of the project could potentially provide approximately 2,679 jobs per year over seven years.

US Wind has signed offtake agreements with the state of Maryland and will again apply to the state Public Utilities Board in the fall to restructure those agreements.

As part of the project, US Wind has unveiled plans to build Sparrows Point Steel, an offshore wind turbine foundation facility in the Port of Baltimore. Once fully operational, the facility will employ more than 500 people, including hundreds of unionized steelworkers.

Liz Burdock, president and CEO of Oceantic Network, said in an emailed statement:

In addition to US Wind’s direct investment in Sparrows Point Steel, this offshore wind project will create new, good-paying jobs throughout Maryland and throughout the supply chain.

While more projects are needed to realize Maryland’s offshore wind goals, today’s action represents an important step forward toward intentionally promoting another commercial-scale offshore wind project.

Once US Wind receives final approval to begin construction, the Biden administration’s approved projects will exceed 15 GW. More than 5 GW of projects are currently under construction and more than 300 MW is online.

Read more: The world’s largest steel mill will gain a second life as a wind turbine factory

---

If you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters and want your home to be more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer in your area that offers competitive prices, check out EnergySagea free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of vetted solar installers competing for your job, providing you with high-quality solutions and saving you 20-30% compared to doing it yourself. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you choose an installer and give them your phone number.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll have access to impartial energy advisors to help you every step of the way. Get Started Here. – trusted affiliate link*