Project Overview

The Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 is one of the largest upcoming offshore wind farms in the United States and is currently in the permitting stage. The offshore wind farm is located between the New Jersey coast and south of Long Beach Island in the Atlantic Ocean. The project is being developed by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC (Atlantic Shores), a 50:50 joint venture partnership between Shell New Energies US LLC and EDF-RE Offshore Development, LLC (a subsidiary of EDF Renewables North America).

The single-phased offshore wind farm project has a planned total capacity of 1,510 megawatts (MW). The wind farm utilizes Vestas V236-15.0 MW offshore wind turbines to generate clean electricity sufficient to power over 700,000 homes. 

The Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 is part of a large portfolio of offshore wind projects in the U.S. called the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South Project (Atlantic Shores South). The total capacity of the wind farm area is up to 2.8 GW, of which Atlantic Shores 1 is currently contracted by the state of New Jersey.

Project Background

The ambitious Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 project is part of the U.S. government’s goal to generate 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030. The project’s inception traces back to 2016 when US Wind acquired lease area OCS-A-0499, later assigned to EDF Renewables in 2018.

In 2019, the offshore wind project was transferred to the current developer, Atlantic Shores. A key milestone in the project's development occurred in 2021 when the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJ BPU) awarded Atlantic Shores the right to receive Offshore Renewable Energy Credits (ORECs). This allowed the project to deliver 1,510 MW of offshore energy to the state of New Jersey.

The project also won an NJ BPU contract in 2021. In September 2021, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Atlantic Shores Wind projects.

As of May 2024, the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for Atlantic Shores South has been updated. Also, the offshore wind project received its Final Environmental Impact Statement for Atlantic Shores south Project 1 and 2 in the same month. 

BOEM authorized the construction of 195 wind turbine generators, with plans for up to 200 turbines and as many as ten offshore substations. The U.S. Department of the Interior approved the 2.8 GW Atlantic Shores South project in July 2024, marking the nation’s ninth offshore wind project under the Biden administration.

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Location Map

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 location map

The Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 is located 14 km off the coast of New Jersey. The project has a Wind Turbine Area WTA of 54,175 acres.

The project uses New Jersey Wind Port, the nation’s first purpose-built port for wind farm construction.

Project Value

Atlantic Shores Project 1 will benefit New Jersey with USD 1.9 million economically and a guaranteed USD 848 million in local direct investment.

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Technical Specifications

Source: Blackridge US Offshore Wind Database

Power generated by the offshore wind turbines will be transmitted using inter-array cables, connecting the WTGs to offshore substations. The project will also install up to eight transmission cables and landfall cables at two designated locations: the Atlantic Landfall site in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and the Monmouth Landfall site in Sea Girt, New Jersey.

Two onshore substations and one operations and maintenance facility will be developed to support energy transmission and operational activities. Offshore export cables will be buried beneath the seabed across both the OCS and New Jersey state waters. This ensures secure and reliable energy transmission from the offshore wind farm to the onshore grid.

Contractors Involved

Access Blackridge’s US Offshore Wind Database for detailed insights on contractors, upcoming tenders, and important project dates.

Project Timeline

Project Benefits

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 will be an addition to New Jersey’s 100% clean energy goal by 2035. The project will power more than 700,000 homes—nearly 20% of the state’s households with clean offshore wind energy. 

The project is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 4 million tons annually, which is equivalent to removing over 770,000 cars from the road each year.

The project is expected to create 22,290 direct full-time jobs during construction and operations, along with 26,630 indirect and induced jobs, totaling nearly 50,000 jobs. Atlantic Shores is committed to delivering its more than 5 GW offshore wind portfolio to meet the growing energy demands of East Coast markets, including New Jersey and New York.

Current and Future Outlook

In July 2024, Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 received the all-important record of decision from the BOEM. The offshore wind developer hired Jingoli, Creamer Environmental, and Riggs Distler to support the onshore construction of the wind farm, which will start in the fourth quarter of this year.

In October 2024, BOEM has approved the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for tAtlantic Shores South Offshore Wind project. Atlantic Shores Projects 1 and 2 represent 2.8 GW of renewable energy and Atlantic Shores Project 2 is set to begin construction in next decade.

Joris Veldhoven, CEO of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, said Atlantic Shores aims to complete all of its engineering on Atlantic Shores 1 this year and make a final investment decision (FID) by the end of 2025. Offshore construction is set to begin in 2027, with turbine installation expected in 2029. The project is anticipated to be fully operational by the end of 2029.

Conclusion

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 is set to play a crucial role in advancing New Jersey's clean energy targets and the United States goal of 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030. With a capacity of 1,510 MW, the project will provide clean renewable energy to over 700,000 homes, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tons annually, and create nearly 50,000 jobs. Following key regulatory approvals, construction is expected to begin in 2024, with the project becoming fully operational by 2029. Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm 1 will slow down climate change and also strengthen energy sustainability across the region.

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