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First Commercial-Scale Offshore Wind Farm in the U.S. Is Now Officially in the Works

The first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the United States will be located 15 miles (24 km) off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, representing a colossal project of historical importance. Its construction recently kicked off, along with a ceremony to commemorate the event.
Wind turbine 6 photos
Photo: Siemens Gamesa
Construction kicks off for the Vineyard Wind 1 wind farmConstruction kicks off for the Vineyard Wind 1 wind farmHaliade-X 14 MW Wind Turbine PrototypeHaliade-X 14 MW Wind Turbine PrototypeWindcatcher
Vineyard Wind 1 is the name of the farm that will be built 35 miles from mainland Massachusetts and will consist of an array of 62 General Electric Haliade-X wind turbines. They will be spaced one nautical mile apart, on an east-west and north-south orientation.

According to its operator, Vineyard Wind, the wind farm will be able to generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the area, being able to generate 800 megawatts of electricity annually. Not only that, but this will be clean energy that will reduce carbon emissions by over 1.6 metric tons per year, which is the equivalent of removing 320,000 cars off the road. Moreover, Vineyard Wind 1 will create 3,600 full-time jobs.

The wind turbines will be connected to an offshore substation where the power will be transferred to two export cables that will make landfall at Covell’s beach and connect to the grid at an inland substation, as explained by Vineyard Wind.

Al partners involved in the project commemorated the start of the construction through a ceremony with around 200 people attending the event. Vineyard Wind 1 is expected to start delivering clean energy in 2023.

Meanwhile, Spanish/German wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa is also busy building the first offshore wind turbine blade factory in the United States. This one will be located in Portsmouth, Virginia, and will support Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project (CVOW). The CVOW is described as the future largest offshore wind farm in the U.S., a 2,640 megawatts project that will power 600,000 homes. Its construction will begin in 2024 and end in 2026.
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About the author: Cristina Mircea
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Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars.
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