Posted on July 31, 2024
US Wind, a proposed 2.2 gigawatt (GW) offshore wind farm in Maryland, has achieved a major milestone in its journey towards securing federal permits by the end of 2024.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), marking a crucial advancement for the developers, Renexia, an Italian renewable energy company.
The proposed wind farm aims to deploy up to 114 turbines with a total capacity of 2,200 megawatts (MW), sufficient to power 770,000 homes with clean energy.
US Wind’s CEO, Jeff Grybowski, expressed optimism about obtaining all federal permits by the end of the year and commencing construction soon.
Project Details and Economic Impact
Strategically located approximately 10 miles off the Maryland coast and 10.4 miles from Sussex County, Delaware, the project encompasses three phases. Two of these phases, MarWin and Momentum Wind, have already secured offshore renewable energy certificates from the State of Maryland.
In addition to the turbines, the project includes up to four offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and export cable corridors landing in Delaware Seashore State Park.
The development and construction phases are estimated to generate approximately 2,679 jobs annually over a seven-year period. US Wind has secured offtake agreements with the state of Maryland and plans to restructure them with the public utility board in the fall.
Sparrows Point Steel: A Manufacturing Hub for Offshore Wind
As part of the project, US Wind is advancing plans for Sparrows Point Steel, an offshore wind turbine foundation facility in Baltimore Harbor. Once fully operational, this facility is projected to employ over 500 individuals, including numerous unionized steelworkers.
Liz Burdock, president and CEO of the Oceantic Network, emphasized the project’s potential to create well-paying jobs across Maryland and the entire supply chain.
While recognizing the need for more projects to meet Maryland’s offshore wind energy targets, she hailed the FEIS release as a significant step toward the development of another commercial-scale offshore wind project.
Biden Administration’s Commitment to Offshore Wind
Upon receiving final approval, US Wind’s project would contribute to the growing pipeline of approved offshore wind projects under the Biden administration, surpassing 15 GW. Currently, over 5 GW of projects are under installation, and over 300 MW are already operational.
