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Northeast States See Surge in Plans for Offshore Wind Projects, But Developers Must Address Remaining Barriers

Posted by Jeffrey Karp on 6/18/18 12:37 PM

By Jeffrey Karp and Kevin Fink

As previously discussed, offshore wind is  well-developed outside the United States. In Europe, the first offshore wind facility was installed in 1991, and a record 3,148 MW of capacity was added in 2017. In comparison, the first and only operating offshore wind farm in the U.S. is Block Island, a 30 MW facility off the coast of Rhode Island, which began operation in 2016. While the U.S. lags behind European wind energy leaders, Northeast states have sought to facilitate large scale offshore wind development by setting goals and awarding contracts to offshore lease areas. These recent activities have been met with optimism and promise; however, there still are challenges beyond initially securing leases that must be met before offshore wind projects in the U.S. are successfully implemented from start to finish.

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Topics: Renewable Energy, Massachusetts, Offshore Wind, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Jones Act, Port Infrastructure, Shipping, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act

Opportunities Abound in the U.S. Offshore Wind Market

Posted by Jeffrey Karp on 5/30/17 12:52 PM

Offshore wind projects have taken root in America. The country’s first operating offshore wind farm, in Block Island, Rhode Island, began contributing energy to the power grid in December 2016. Now, more than 23 offshore wind projects — collectively expected to produce 16,000 MW of power — reportedly are being planned. Thus, opportunities abound for developers, contractors, and investors in the U.S. offshore wind market.

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Topics: Energy Finance, Renewable Energy, Energy Investment, Energy Project Finance, Offshore Wind, Wind Energy, Energy Project

U.S. Offshore Wind:  Mid-Year Update

Posted by Administrator on 6/7/16 2:13 PM

Several speakers at the recent American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) annual conference in New Orleans lauded the positive impact of Congress's extensions of the production tax credit (PTC) and investment tax credit (ITC) in December 2015. As they noted, these extensions position wind energy for a period of unprecedented stability and growth—at least for the onshore wind sector.

Offshore wind has tremendous potential in the United States, but unlike the onshore wind sector, offshore still has a long way to go to reach critical mass. The recent PTC/ITC extensions ramp down by the early 2020s. As a result, only a few early offshore projects are likely to be far enough along to benefit from the PTC/ITC extensions. Absent a further tax incentive specifically directed to offshore wind, as recently proposed by Senators Markey (D-Mass) and Whitehouse (D-RI), offshore wind will continue to rely on state-level policies to build out the necessary supply chain.

Where will U.S. offshore wind find support to attain critical mass? Here are six major areas of recent progress:

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Topics: Renewable Energy, Offshore Wind, Wind Energy, DONG Energy, BOEM, New Jersey Offshore Wind, Maryland Offshore Wind, Massachusetts Offshore Wind, New York Offshore Wind

U.S. Offshore Wind Seeks Critical Mass

Posted by Administrator on 3/9/16 3:30 PM

Last week’s U.S. Offshore Wind Leadership Conference in Boston had the vibe of a technology sector ready to break out. Industry leaders, federal officials, and a panel of Massachusetts legislators extolled the economic opportunities, and U.S. Senator Edward Markey and Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton delivered inspiring keynotes. Speakers were interspersed with high-energy videos of offshore wind installations in European waters, along with many side meetings among project developers and hopeful supply chain participants.

Offshore wind is garnering more than just hype in 2016. Key developments have this once fledgling energy source poised to finally gain momentum in the United States.

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Topics: Wind, Massachusetts, Offshore Wind, Wind Energy, DONG Energy, Deepwater Wind, BOEM, Siemens

2015 Year in Review - Renewable Energy in the U.S.

Posted by Jeffrey Karp on 12/23/15 3:33 PM

Co-author Morgan M. Gerard

Despite the low price of oil throughout the year, 2015 may have been an inflection point for renewable energy as a competitive generation source in the U.S. Deutsche Bank has noted that renewable sources, like solar, have reached, or will soon reach, grid parity with fossil fuel sources in many states. As non-fossil energy has become more economically viable, the industry has responded by standardizing and streamlining project processes, and by accessing financing vehicles like yieldcos and public bonds. Despite growth, the past year has also been a tumultuous one full of unexpected developments and policy shifts including the COP 21 agreement and the Clean Power Plan (CPP), and the formation of intriguing grassroots coalitions, like the green tea party. All of these developments were, of course, set against the specter of a potential step-down of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), and its surprising last-minute revival. The following is a breakdown of some of the major developments impacting renewables in 2015.

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Topics: NY REV, Energy Policy, Energy Finance, Distributed Energy, YieldCo, Solar Energy, Renewable Energy, Wind, COP21, Renewable Energy 2015, Distributed Energy Resources, CPP, Green Tea Party, Net Metering, Net Energy Metering, NEM, DG, Energy Project Finance, Renewable 2015, Green Energy, Green Energy 2015, Solar Energy 2015, DER, Offshore Wind, Clean Power, clean power plan, Georgia Solar, 2015, energy, Wind Energy, Energy Project, Green 2015, California DRP

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The Environment & Energy Insights blog analyzes developments in the law, as well as provides updates and perspectives on trends and polices.

The material on this site is for general information only and is not legal advice. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage which may result from reliance on it. Always consult a qualified lawyer about a specific legal problem.

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