May 29, 2024

Despite recent setbacks, offshore wind continues to advance in the U.S. 

BOEM announced yesterday that it had completed its environmental assessment of Maine’s request for a lease area where it could place a floating OSW research array. On the same day, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced he had directed the Board of Public Utilities to advance the opening of its fifth OSW solicitation by 15 months, to the second quarter of 2025. 

This news came after BOEM’s release of its final environmental impact statement on Atlantic Shores, New Jersey’s foremost OSW project, finding it would have a “major” impact on commercial and for-hire recreational fishing, the view from the shore and on-ship traffic. 

Last week also saw the release of a report from the Oceantic Network (formerly BNOW) that laid out a strategy for the West Coast’s not-quite-nascent OSW industry. Oceantic said the report provides a chance for the West Coast to analyze the mixed record of development on the East Coast and work to avoid pitfalls when development begins in earnest off the California and Oregon coasts. 

Here’s what else we have from this past week: 

• DOE Tackles EV Charging Challenges to Get More EVs on the Road
  

• EEI Sues EPA over Power Plant Rules’ Carbon-capture Requirement 

• Iberdrola to Take Full Ownership of Avangrid 

• Massachusetts DPU Approves Everett LNG Contracts 

• National Grid Plans $35B Investment in NY, Mass. 

• NJ Wrestles with Clean Energy Priorities 

• Overheard at the 76th Annual NECPUC Symposium 

• Tri-State CEO Gives Update on Energy Transition

See you next week!