The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved US Wind’s Construction and Operations Plan for Maryland’s first offshore wind farm Tuesday.
The state has ambitious offshore wind goals and past failed agreements with Danish renewable energy giant Orsted.
“After more than four years of rigorous and robust analysis, we are thrilled to have secured this final BOEM approval,” said US Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski. “US Wind’s projects will produce massive amounts of homegrown energy and will help satisfy the region’s critical need for more electricity, all while supporting good local jobs.”
The Maryland Offshore Wind Project is planned in three phases, two of which have been named – MarWin and Momentum Wind – and have received offshore renewable energy certificates from the state of Maryland.
But US Wind’s plan “considers” a third phase: the build out of the remainder of its federal lease area, which would ultimately double the power capacity of the first two phases.
MarWin is to consist of no more than 22 turbines and Momentum Wind, no more than 55, according to US Wind. The former is expected to generate about 300 megawatts of electricity and the latter, about 800, for a total of 1,100 MWs, or 1.1 gigawatts. That’s enough to power about 342,000 homes, according to US Wind.
