Biden Administration Grants Approval To First Offshore Utility Scale Wind Farm

The United States' 46th president Joe Biden's administration granted final federal approval for the 800-MW Vineyard Wind project off Martha's Vineyard.

The USD 2.8 billion project south of Martha's Vineyard near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, will be the first utility-scale wind power development off the waters of the U.S. This project aligns with Joe Biden's vision of the border agenda to combat global climate change by decarbonizing the U.S. economy. The President aims to generate 30 G.W. of power from this source by 2030.

The Vineyard Wind plant will be constructed 19.3 Km's off Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket in the northern portion of the namesake lease area. The plant will consist of up to 84 turbines in an east-west orientation and be separated by at least one nautical mile. The project is expected to create 3,600 jobs and generate enough power for 400,000 homes.

Fishing groups oppose the construction of the project, saying that the project's design and the government's environmental reviews are inadequate. The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, which represents fishing interests, claims that some large boats would lose time and revenue navigating around the site.

Most of Vineyard Wind's components will be manufactured in Europe due to the lack of a U.S. supply chain for the domestic industry, the company said.