DONG Energy has released project details for its offshore wind farm proposed to be built off Massachusetts, USA.
DONG Energy’s first project in the U.S. has been named Bay State Wind and will be located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, with turbines installed in water depths of 130-165 feet (approx. 40-50m).
A period of additional feasibility assessment and stakeholder engagement at both local and federal level will now be carried out, which will help determine the best solutions for the design, construction and operation of the proposed wind farm.
“If necessary approval and appropriate contracts are secured, the area could accommodate offshore wind capacity of up to 1,000MW over a longer term,” DONG Energy said.
The company expects that the Bay State Wind project will deliver its first power in the early 2020s.
In April, DONG Energy acquired the development project rights for the 1GW site off the coast of Massachusetts from RES Americas Developments Inc, which had been awarded the rights in a lease sale held by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in January.
In June, BOEM gave its approval to the lease takeover , marking the first offshore wind development for DONG Energy in the U.S.
Bay State Wind could provide enough electricity to power approximately 500,000 Massachusetts homes, the company pointed out.
“Given Massachusetts’ cold winters, Bay State Wind would improve electric reliability during extreme cold winter conditions when availability of natural gas to generate electricity is reduced due to increased heating demand. It will also reduce air pollution, reduce wholesale electricity costs and increase energy independence,” DONG Energy explained on its website.
Image: DONG Energy