Report documents the unique benefits of Atlantic offshore wind power, evaluates the progress of offshore wind made to date, and identifies the critical actions state leaders must take to ensure the success of offshore wind.
Report prepared by University of Delaware’s Special Initiative on Offshore Wind. This study recommends a strategic approach the state of New York can take to reduce the costs of offshore wind.
Report of committee comprised of legislative committee comprised of three senate members and three house members which details advantages and challenges of offshore wind in New Hampshire. The study provides recommendations for developing offshore wind in the Northeast region.
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/StatStudComm/committees/2151/documents/Offshore%20wind%20report.pdf
AN ACT establishing a committee to study offshore wind energy production.
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2015/HB0316.html
Beginning on or before June 30, 2016 all local governments, towns, counties and municipal aggregators within the Commonwealth shall be allowed to enter into long-term, power purchase contracts, up to 20 years, with renewable energy projects of the community’s choice, on behalf of all residents of the community “Community Empowerment”. Business and municipalities are not required to participate but could be given the option to opt-in or opt-out.
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/BillHtml/145875?generalCourtId=12
BOEM held the nation’s 4th competitive lease sale for potential offshore wind development offshore Massachusetts. Two lease areas were awarded to RES America Developments, Inc. and Offshore MW LLC, respectively.
This resolve extends the authority to issue bonds for the University of Maine's offshore wind energy demonstration site previously authorized in June 2010. These funds are required to complete construction of the offshore wind energy demonstration site already under construction at the university.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0546&item=1&snum=127
Renewable Energy credits for offshore wind projects. This bill expands the definition of "tidal energy demonstration project" under the aws governing general permits for tidal energy demonstration projects to cover so-called tidal range projects, which extract energy from the differential head across a marine enclosure. The bill further directs the Public Utilities Commission to conduct an additional competitive solicitation of proposals for tidal energy demonstration projects and increases the allowed capacity derived from tidal energy demonstration projects to 30 megawatts and total allowed capacity contracted for by the commission to 45 megawatts. The bill also allows utilities to enter into long term contracts for deepwater offshore wind.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0110&item=1&snum=127
Encourages energy development with the inclusion of offshore wind. The Legislature finds that it is in the public interest to improve the process for the siting and permitting of grid-scale wind energy development by ensuring against undue environmental economic impacts from wind energy developments both individually and cumulatively.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0904&item=1&snum=127
A new study, conducted by the University of Delaware's Special Initiative on Offshore Wind for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, offers a roadmap of key strategic steps New York State can take to reduce costs of offshore wind power over the next decade. The study finds that ongoing technology and industry advances combined with actions New York could take, independently or with other states, could lower costs for offshore wind power as much as 50 percent and bring the clean-energy source closer to realizing its potential for "delivering utility-scale renewable electric generation" to New York City and nearby areas such as Long Island.
A primary conclusion from the report is that supporting offshore wind development at scale, rather than on a project-by-project basis, could have the greatest impact on reducing costs. Other actions the report cites that could lower costs include creating and using innovative financing mechanisms, developing infrastructure to reduce costs, and supporting site characterization for early projects to reduce development expenses and risk.
The study notes that while onshore wind development has expanded rapidly in the U.S., no operational offshore wind power projects have been completed to date due to complex construction challenges and the need for operational infrastructure that doesn't exist today in the U.S. These factors lead to high costs and have delayed deployment.
The study identifies multiple paths for reducing offshore wind power costs in New York State, emphasizing that the "State can take actions in the near term to lower its costs substantially, independent of expected external reductions over the next decade." The study finds that taking advantage of wind turbine innovations and other technology and industry advances could lower costs about 20 percent. Direct steps taken by New York State could contribute up to an additional 30 percent reduction in a project's cost.http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/File%20Library/About/SIOW/New-York-Offshore-Wind-Cost-Reduction-Study-ff8-2.pdf
