In a momentous development for the U.S. renewable energy landscape, Vineyard Wind 1 and South Fork Wind have commenced operations along the East Coast, contributing a combined capacity of 938 MW. Marking the first commercial-scale offshore wind plants in the country, these projects are pivotal for the burgeoning offshore wind market.
Vineyard Wind 1, located 15 miles from Martha’s Vineyard and 35 miles from mainland Massachusetts, has initiated operations with the first of its 62 turbines delivering 5 MW to New England’s grid. As part of a joint venture between Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Vineyard Wind 1 is set to generate 806 MW upon full build-out, catering to over 400,000 Massachusetts homes and businesses. The project employs General Electric’s Haliade-X offshore turbines, showcasing their remarkable 60-64% capacity factor, significantly surpassing the global offshore wind industry average of 42%.
Simultaneously, South Fork Wind, a collaboration between Ørsted and Eversource, has commenced power delivery to Long Island through its first operational wind turbine, located 35 miles from Montauk Point. The project, aiming to generate 132 MW for approximately 70,000 homes, boasts Siemens Gamesa’s SG 11.0-200 DD wind generators. The innovative design of these turbines includes an upgraded direct drive generator with a larger diameter and increased rotor size, resulting in up to 40% Annual Energy Production (AEP) compared to its predecessor.
These milestones represent a significant stride for the U.S. offshore wind industry, signaling a departure from conventional energy sources and a notable expansion in renewable energy capacity. While economic pressures continue to challenge the sector, the successful commencement of Vineyard Wind 1 and South Fork Wind sets a positive trajectory for the future of offshore wind energy in the United States.