The implementation of Ocean Wind 1, the first offshore wind energy project in New Jersey is set to begin later this year. The execution of the project, which is also the largest of its kind in the U.S., will begin with the construction of an onshore substation and the establishment of a land cable route.
Meanwhile, the project monopiles are being built at the EEW American Offshore Structures facility at the Port of Paulsboro. Reportedly, the project will create hundreds of construction and permanent manufacturing jobs in South Jersey.
Once complete, expectedly by the end of 2024 or early 2025, Ocean Wind 1 will feature nearly 100 GE Haliade X 12 MW turbines. It will have the capacity to generate enough electricity that could power up to 500,000 homes.
Also Read: Funds secured for Vinty community development in New Jersey
Ocean Wind 1 project approval and signing of federal tax credits bill
In early July 2023, the project received the final federal green light to enter the construction and operation phase. This was announced by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
This project is the third commercial-scale offshore wind energy project to be approved by the Biden administration in the United States. It joins the Vineyard Wind project in Massachusetts and the South Fork Wind project in New York, both of which are currently under construction.
A few days after its approval, the New Jersey Legislature voted to allow the project’s developer, Ørsted, to collect federal tax credits aimed at offshore wind farms. On the 6th of July 2023, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed the bill (A5651/S4019).
The bill will not only enable Ocean Wind 1 to access federal tax credits but also commit to supporting the growing offshore wind supply chain in the state.
