Ørsted, Avangrid and two others submit bids to first-ever 3-state offshore wind solicitation

Utility Dive· Industry Dive
Diana DiGangi
3 min read
0
In this article:

This story was originally published on Utility Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Utility Dive newsletter.

Dive Brief:

  • Offshore wind developers Ørsted, Avangrid, SouthCoast Wind and Vineyard Offshore announced Wednesday that they had submitted bids to a joint offshore wind solicitation from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

  • The window for bidding into the regional solicitation closed at noon Wednesday. The three states were the first in the U.S. to sign a memorandum of understanding on offshore wind procurement, and this was the first-ever tri-state bidding process. 

  • “We look forward to evaluating the submitted proposals received under this RFP over the coming months, and coordinating review of any multi-state proposals received with Massachusetts and Rhode Island,” Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a release.

Dive Insight:

Dykes said that DEEP expects to announce in the third quarter of this year whether the state plans to move forward with power purchase agreements for any of the proposals it received. The solicitation sought up to 6,800 MW of offshore wind.

Vineyard Offshore — a joint venture owned by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid Renewables — said Wednesday that it had proposed a 1,200-MW Vineyard Wind 2 project to each of the three states individually as well as the three together.

The company said its goal is to “provide substantial investments in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, responding to the solicitation’s aim of creating cross-cutting regional economic impact.”

Ørsted said it proposed a 1,184-MW Starboard Wind project to Connecticut and Rhode Island, delivering power to both, with plans to stage the wind farm from ports in the Connecticut coastal town of New London. 

Rebecca Ullman, director of external affairs for SouthCoast Wind, said the company submitted a bid to all three states for a project with 1,200 MW of capacity. 

“The first ever tri-state offshore wind solicitation demonstrates an unshakable commitment to a clean energy future for all and we are proud to submit our bid,” SouthCoast Wind’s CEO Michael Brown said in a release.

In addition to the Vineyard Wind 2 proposal submitted by its subsidiary in the Vineyard Offshore joint venture, Avangrid submitted proposals for two New England Wind projects: the 791-MW New England Wind 1 and 1,080-MW New England Wind 2. New England Wind 1 would border Vineyard Wind 1, an 800-MW project which first delivered power to the grid in January and is set to be complete by the end of this year.

“Avangrid submitted a bid for New England Wind 1, a second bid for New England Wind 1 and 2 combined, and additional bids for single-state procurements in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island,” the company said in a release.

New England Wind 1 is an existing project formerly known as Park City Wind. Last year, Avangrid unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a new contract for the project with Connecticut, then it canceled it and paid the state a $16 million penalty so it could rebid. Avangrid described the New England 1 project as “exceptionally advanced and shovel-ready.”

Advertisement

Recommended Stories

  • Shining Too Bright: California's Solar Success Sparks Price Plunge

    California's solar energy efforts have been so successful that renewable energy has powered 100% of the state's main grid for at least 15 minutes on most days over the past month. But now, the state and its grid operator are facing an unusual situation. With an abundance of solar energy integrated into the grid, during bright spring days with reduced demand, electricity prices plummet into negative territory. The surplus of solar power results in gigawatts being "curtailed" or effectively wasted

  • Mercedes-Benz says US DOJ ended investigation into diesel emissions scandal

    The U.S. Department of Justice has closed its probe into the Mercedes-Benz diesel emissions scandal and the car manufacturer is no longer facing charges, the company said on Saturday. Mercedes-Benz cooperated fully with the DOJ, Renata Jungo Bruengger, board member for integrity, governance and sustainability at Mercedes, said in an emailed statement. "With the DOJ's decision, we are taking another important step towards legal certainty in connection with various diesel proceedings," she said, confirming an earlier report in the German newspaper Handelsblatt about the DOJ decision.

  • Is Bloom Energy Stock a Buy?

    Clean hydrogen could be key to decarbonizing the economy, and Bloom Energy is one company leading the way.

  • Texas power prices signal grid stress in another long, hot summer

    (Bloomberg) -- A surge in Texas power prices for August suggests another summer of heavy electricity demand — and potential grid strain — to meet air-conditioning needs.Most Read from BloombergPlunging Home Prices, Fleeing Companies: Austin’s Glow Is FadingWall Street Humbled as Fast-Reversing Markets Confound the ProsApple Intensifies Talks With OpenAI for iPhone Generative AI FeaturesThe Long, Slow Death of Urban NightlifeJavier Milei Fuels Wild Rally That Makes Peso No. 1 in WorldTraders star

  • 3 Renewable-Focused ETFs Just Hit 3-Year Lows. Are They Worth Buying Now?

    Renewable energy stocks continue to get hammered, but may be worth buying for patient investors.

  • America’s Largest Tree Farmer Charges Into Solar Farms

    Lumber producer Weyerhaeuser says it has struck deals to install solar panels over more than 100,000 acres in 11 states, positioning the country's largest private landowner to become a big player in the fastest-growing source of electricity generation in the U.S. Solar power generation is forecast to increase by a record this year and make another jump next year, to about 75% more than in 2023, the Energy Information Administration estimates. A lot of the new solar panels are being installed on cutover timberland. Weyerhaeuser has several projects in late stages of development.

  • How Insurers Game Out Disaster Risk and Drop Customers

    CSAA Insurance Group refused to renew its policy this year on the home that Ronnie de Supinski owns with her husband, Bronis, in Livermore, Calif. As insurers suffer rising losses from wildfires and thunderstorms, they are using scores and models of natural perils to cherry pick which properties they insure, and set their rates. Insurers say this helps keep home insurance available in disaster-prone areas, by allowing them to predict and manage risks.

  • Amazon Plans Further Drone Expansion—But Will Shutter Calif. Prime Air Site

    Amazon announced that it would expand operations into the Phoenix metro area as it sunsets its original drone presence in California.

  • Wildfires Pose Hidden Threat to Mortgage Lenders and Investors

    (Bloomberg) -- Above and beyond the obvious damage, wildfires levied a hidden cost on the finance industry: Mortgage lenders and investors lost more than $30 billion between 2020 and 2022, due to both accelerated defaults and prepayments following disastrous blazes.Most Read from BloombergApple Intensifies Talks With OpenAI for iPhone Generative AI FeaturesPlunging Home Prices, Fleeing Companies: Austin’s Glow Is FadingWall Street Humbled as Fast-Reversing Markets Confound the ProsThe Long, Slow

  • 3 Solar Stocks to Watch Amid Bleak Residential Installation View

    Solid solar installations, along with the Inflation Reduction Act, should drive solar capacity growth in 2024, amid a weak outlook for residential installations. You may keep a watch on ENPH, NXT and CSIQ.