(Credit: U.S. Department of the Interior)The Department of the Interior has approved the Biden administration’s fourth major offshore wind development, the Revolution Wind project, off the coast of Rhode Island.
The new project will generate about 704 megawatts of energy, enough to power about 250,000 homes. The new development will add to Biden’s goal of generating 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.
This project follows the establishment of three other major offshore wind projects, including the Vineyard Wind project offshore Massachusetts, the South Fork Wind project offshore Rhode Island and New York, and the Ocean Wind 1 project offshore New Jersey. The Biden administration’s emphasis on clean energy development and major funding included in the Inflation Reduction Act have contributed to companies announcing 18 offshore wind projects, thousands of new jobs, and overall strengthening of the domestic wind energy supply chain.
“President Biden has set an ambitious goal of achieving 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030 – and I am more confident than ever that we will meet it,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Together with industry, labor, and partners from coast to coast, we are building an entirely new industry off the east and west and Gulf coasts. The Interior Department is committed to the Biden-Harris administration’s all-of-government approach to the clean energy future and delivering clean, reliable renewable energy to help respond to the climate crisis, lower energy costs, and create good-paying union jobs across the manufacturing, shipbuilding, and construction sectors.”
The DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is on track to complete the review of at least 16 offshore wind projects by 2025, which amounts to over 27 gigawatts of clean energy.
While clean energy projects mark an important step in transitioning away from a fossil fuel-dependent economy, steps must be taken to ensure their development avoids unnecessary environmental damage in the process.
The environmental impact statement for the Revolution Wind project included a preferred alternative plan that was ultimately approved over the original for its consideration of potential environmental consequences. This will result in the installation of fewer turbines than initially planned in order to reduce impact on visual resources, ocean habitats, and other ocean co-users.
The project's Record of Decision also calls for the establishment of fishery mitigation funds to compensate for losses incurred by fisheries in Rhode Island and Massachusetts from Revolution Wind’s development. Finally, certain vessel speed restrictions and construction clearance zones will be implemented in order to avoid hurting protected species nearby, including marine mammals and sea turtles.
“The project’s approval underscores the Administration’s commitment to promoting domestic energy production and fighting climate change while promoting economic growth and fostering environmental stewardship within coastal communities,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “We are committed to working closely with Tribes, state and local leaders, industry, ocean users, and key stakeholders to responsibly develop this clean energy resource and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.”
