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MassCEC Offshore Wind Newsletter
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June 2020
Welcome to MassCEC''s new Offshore Wind Newsletter! This quarterly newsletter provides updates on the industry and the initiatives that MassCEC and other regional organizations are spearheading to advance the responsible development of offshore wind energy. You are receiving this newsletter because you have been engaged with MassCEC''s work in offshore wind in the past, and we want to keep you informed as a valued partner in our efforts. Please reach out to offshorewind@masscec.com with any questions or comments.
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- MassCEC Offshore Wind Initiatives and Updates
- BOEM Releases Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Vineyard Wind Project
- Offshore Wind News Roundup
- Tethys: A PNNL Resource for Information on Offshore Energy and Ocean Ecosystems
- Offshore Wind Events
- Join the Massachusetts Offshore Wind Supply Chain Directory!
- New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal
- Offshore Wind Jobs
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MassCEC Offshore Wind Initiatives and Updates
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MassCEC Continues to Support Offshore Wind Workforce Training and Development: In 2019, MassCEC made its first direct investments in offshore wind workforce training and development in the Commonwealth. These grants went to six Massachusetts institutions and organizations to support the development of key safety and technical training programs, as well as other educational programming to help Massachusetts workers gain the skills and knowledge they need to pursue opportunities in this fast-growing industry. MassCEC continues to work with the grantees supporting their program development and business planning, and is working to establish a "community of practice" for networking and collaboration among training providers and other key stakeholders. This spring, MassCEC solicited additional proposals relating to offshore wind workforce development and in May, we received a number of competitive proposals. MassCEC plans to make its next round of awards this summer as we continue to foster a world-class offshore wind workforce here in Massachusetts.
Workforce Research and Analysis: MassCEC is continuing work with BW Research Partnership to better understand strengths and gaps in our local workforce as it relates to offshore wind. This includes an initiative to inventory offshore wind training opportunities in the Northeastern U.S. and map the employment pathways in offshore wind. BW provided a webinar on some initial findings of their research in April, and we will continue to share updates on this work as they become available.
Supply Chain Assessment and Industry Support: Starting this summer, MassCEC will launch an in-depth assessment of local and regional supply chain capabilities and industry needs as we work to build a network of local suppliers and service providers for offshore wind. With this added insight, MassCEC and our partners will be better positioned to help local businesses participate in the offshore wind supply chain and attract new offshore wind businesses to the Commonwealth. We also look forward to continuing to support robust business-to-business networking and matchmaking, taking advantage of our new and improved platform for the Massachusetts Offshore Wind Supply Chain Directory and direct engagement with businesses.
Progress on Establishing a Regional Wildlife Science Entity: MassCEC continues to work with a Coordinating Group to establish a regional wildlife science entity for Atlantic offshore wind, including state and federal partners, environmental stakeholders, and developers. The "science entity" would serve as a focal point for ongoing planning and coordination of science activities to monitor the effects of offshore wind development on wildlife. With support from the Cadmus Group and Consensus Building Institute, the Coordinating Group sponsored a workshop in January, allowing a broad range of stakeholders to provide input on the entity's structure and organization. Next, the Group is working to identify an organization to perform administrative, financial and organizational functions for the entity. This effort builds upon MassCEC's longstanding collaboration with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the New England Aquarium on baseline wildlife surveys in the wind energy areas, and remains critical to the responsible development of offshore wind.
Awards Announced for Fisheries Studies: On May 20, the Baker-Polito Administration, in partnership with the State of Rhode Island and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), announced grants worth $1.1 million to support five regional fisheries studies. These studies will conduct critical research on recreational and commercial fisheries, seabed habitat, and offshore wind policies in Europe to assess interactions between offshore wind development and fisheries in the northeast. The pilot studies will support and inform a broader regional fisheries science and monitoring program being developed under the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA), an entity established by the fishing community, offshore wind leaseholders, and federal and state agencies. Check out the press release for more information on the five studies selected for grants.
Massachusetts Companies and Institutions Awarded R&D Grants: On June 4, the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium announced grants to 12 companies and institutions that are working to innovate and reduce costs in the offshore wind space. Five of these recent awards are supporting projects with Massachusetts connections:
- University of Massachusetts Amherst - Techno-Economic Mooring Configuration and Design for Floating Offshore Wind.
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - Continued Development of a Metocean Reference Site near the MA and RI Wind Energy Areas.
- Tufts University - Physics-Based Digital Twins for Optimal Asset Management.
- Tagup, Inc. (MA-based start-up) - Survival Modeling for Offshore Wind Prognostics.
- Triton Systems, Inc. (MA-based company) - Development of an Innovative Anchoring System for Floating Offshore Wind.
MassCEC is an active member of the Consortium and congratulates all award recipients. With the June announcement, the Consortium concluded it first solicitation, making a total of 20 awards worth over $17 million. The Consortium expects to issue its next solicitation this summer.
MassCEC Joins Vineyard Wind and Greentown Labs in Offshore Wind Challenge: Earlier this month, MassCEC joined Greentown Labs and Vineyard Wind as a sponsor for the Offshore Wind Challenge, a six-month accelerator program supporting innovations in the responsible development of offshore wind energy. The Challenge is focused on fast-tracking entrepreneurs with the mentors and business and technical resources they need to bring new marine mammal monitoring technologies to a state of practice. MassCEC will serve as an Enabling Partner throughout the Challenge and provide grant funding and offshore wind expertise for startup pilot projects in Vineyard Wind''s lease areas. Selected participants will also receive guidance from the experts at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the New England Aquarium. Together, Vineyard Wind, MassCEC, and Greentown Labs are working to expand the offshore wind innovation ecosystem in the Commonwealth.
MassCEC and DOER Hosted Offshore Wind Transmission Technical Conference: In March, the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and MassCEC co-hosted a technical conference to discuss the opportunities, costs, benefits, and potential procurement structure for a coordinated independent transmission network for offshore wind. DOER has also solicited written comment to gather feedback on independent transmission options for offshore wind. Additional information on this process to date, including all submitted stakeholder comments, can be found here.
2020 Surveys Commence at the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal (NBMCT): In May, developers kicked off their offshore wind survey programs for their lease areas off the Massachusetts/Rhode Island coast, and the NBMCT has been busy facilitating vessel operations for offshore wind developers including mobilizing, demobilizing, crew changes, repair work, and more. The NBMCT has also been supporting the deployment and recovery of metocean data buoys.
Here are some quick highlights of ongoing operations at the NBMCT:
- Fugro, mobilized three survey vessels, the Kommandor Iona, Fugro Searcher, and Fugro Enterprise at the Terminal to prepare for geophysical surveying. These vessels, along with the GO Liberty, are operating out of the Terminal this season. The Fugro Searcher and the Kommandor Iona (under charter to Fugro) used the NBMCT and New Bedford Harbor's experienced marine fabrication and maintenance contractors to demobilize and mobilize for this year's survey program.
- Horizon Geosciences is using the NBMCT as their base port for the Kommandor Susan and Horizon Geobay, while performing geotechnical, geophysical and hydrographic surveys.
- Gardline has returned to the NBMCT this year, operating the Ocean Observer and Ocean Researcher for hydrographic and geophysical surveys.
- Geoquip Marine is basing their geotechnical surveys aboard the Geoquip Saentis from the NBMCT.
- AXYS Technologies continues to deploy and maintain multiple Floating Lidar buoys from the NBMCT.
- Ocean Tech Services (OTS) used the NBMCT for the deployment of two Floating Lidar (or "Flidar") buoys for the U.S. Department of Energy. OTS used the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute's MetOcean Air-sea Interaction Tower (ASIT tower) to validate the data collected from the Flidar buoys after completing extensive upgrades and repairs at the NBMCT. MassCEC collaborated with WHOI to install a WindCubeT Lidar unit on the ASIT tower in 2016, and MassCEC makes the data available through our website.
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BOEM Releases Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Vineyard Wind Project
Comments Due July 27
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On June 12, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the Vineyard Wind project, which was selected through a competitive procurement to develop an 800 MW offshore wind farm off the cost of Massachusetts. The SDEIS was required by BOEM last year, when regulators required a more robust analysis of cumulative impacts from an expanded look at all reasonably foreseeable offshore wind development including recent and planned state offshore wind procurements in the Atlantic Ocean. The SDEIS also considers previously unavailable fishing data, a new transit lane alternative, and changes to the Construction and Operations Plan since publication of the initial Draft EIS. More detailed information on the full federal environmental permitting process for the Vineyard Wind project can be found here.
The release of the Draft SEIS on June 12 kicked off a 45-day comment period, which closes July 27. During this time, BOEM is holding a series of virtual public meetings to solicit comments and feedback. The first of these meetings took place last Friday, June 26, and the schedule for future meetings is as follows (details on the meeting format and how to join can be found here):
- Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - 1:00 pm ET
- Thursday, July 2, 2020 - 5:00 pm ET
- Tuesday, July 7, 2020 - 1:00 pm ET
- Thursday, July 9, 2002 - 5:00 pm ET
Your participation during this public comment period is very important, and we encourage all interested stakeholders to share their perspectives on the Draft SEIS through the public comment process. Please consider submitting comments either through a virtual public meeting or in writing before July 27. Written comments can be submitted any time before June 27 here.
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Offshore Wind News Roundup
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Mayflower Wind Sets USD 58.47/MWh Electricity Price
On Monday, 10 February, the Massachusetts Electric Distribution Companies filed long-term contracts with Mayflower Wind Energy LLC for the project for review and approval by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU).
GWO/GWEC Report - Powering the Future: Global Offshore Wind Workforce Outlook 2020-2024
The Global Wind Energy Council has published a report on the future of the offshore wind industry, highlighting workforce training goals and estimating that over 77,000 GWO-trained on-site workers will be needed to fulfill market forecasts.
Coast Guard Completes Study on Turbine Layout
The Coast Guard's Massachusetts and Rhode Island Port Access Route Study has concluded that turbines should be spaced 1.2 miles apart and oriented in the same direction across seven offshore wind lease areas totaling around 1,400 square miles south of Nantucket.
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Vineyard Wind's Permitting On Track Despite Coronavirus, BOEM Says
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is sticking to its previously-extended timeline for deciding whether to approve Vineyard Wind's 800-megawatt offshore wind project.
?rsted projects face potential delays due to COVID
Facing permitting challenges amidst the coronavirus pandemic, 5 ?rsted projects are predicted to see setbacks in development over the next year.
Competition Over World''s Biggest Wind Turbine
Siemens Gamesa announces a new 14 MW wind turbine model that exceeds General Electric''s version by two meters, hoping to claim the title as the world''s biggest wind turbine.
Equinor Releases Details on New England Offshore Wind Project
Equinor Wind has unveiled the official name of its wind project off the coast of New England: Beacon Wind.
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PNNL''s Tethys Knowledge Base Advances Responsible Ocean Energy Development
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MassCEC's Offshore Wind program works to advance the responsible development of renewable offshore wind energy in the Commonwealth, and understanding the interplay between offshore energy and ocean ecosystems is essential to mitigating impacts on our oceans.
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed and actively curates Tethys, a publicly accessible, online knowledge base that facilitates the exchange and dissemination of information on the environmental effects of wind (land-based and offshore) and marine renewable energy (such as wave and tidal).
Check out PNNL''s recent post on the MassCEC Blog to learn more about Tethys and how you can take advantage of the platform''s key information.
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MassCEC Workforce Webinar (Recording and Slides)
On April 15, 2020, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center hosted a webinar on offshore wind workforce development efforts in Massachusetts and the region. This webinar featured a presentation from BW Research, which provided preliminary findings and analysis of regional offshore wind workforce strengths and opportunities. In case you missed it, the recording of the webinar can be found here, and the webinar slides can be found here.
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US Offshore Wind Conference 2020
On June 18 and 19, Reuters Events and New Energy Update hosted a virtual version of the 2020 US Offshore Wind ConfEx. This conference boasted over 150 speakers and 40+ live-streamed sessions, as well as a virtual networking platform. For more information on the conference and future events, visit the U.S. Offshore Wind website.
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2020 IPF
The Business Network for Offshore Wind''s 2020 International Partnering Forum (IPF) began virtually April, and will continue throughout the summer. Periodic workshops will take place throughout June and July, and the event will culminate in a virtual conference on August 18-20, to include a virtual networking platform, exhibit hall, job fair, and more. You can find more info. and register here.
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Join the MA Offshore Wind Supply Chain Directory!
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The go-to listing of companies, organizations, and institutions that offer services, skills, and products to the growing offshore wind industry in Massachusetts and the region. Instructions on how to create your listing, as well as frequently asked questions, can be found here. Don''t miss this opportunity to list your company today!
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New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal
The U.S.''s first purpose-built port for offshore wind
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Located in America''s #1 fishing port, the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is a 29-acre facility aimed at accelerating the success of the offshore wind industry in Massachusetts and the region. The terminal features:
- The highest uniform load capacity cargo facility quayside on the East Coast, capable of supporting a 1,350 metric ton crane lifting a 500 metric ton load at a 30 meter radius along the entire 1,000-foot (305-meter) new bulkhead
- The ability to sustain uniform loads of 4,100 pounds per square foot (20 metric tons per square meter) and concentrated loads of up to 20,485 pounds per square foot (100 metric tons per square meter) over 21 acres of the main Terminal site
- A 300- foot wide navigational channel dredged to -30 feet MLLW
- No overhead restrictions
- Work and security level lighting allow for around-the-clock activities within the Designated Port Area
- Ship-to-shore power outlets along the bulkhead
- Expandable electrical system, including a 3,000 amp, 480/277V, 3 phase, 4 wire system
- State-of-the-art vega sector lights installed along the hurricane barrier to enhance vessel navigation
Strategically positioned to support import and export trade, the Port of New Bedford is just 20 nautical miles (32 km) from the Cape Cod shipping canal, 83 nautical miles (134 km) south of Boston and 166 nautical miles (267 km) north of New York.
For more information on the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, contact offshorewind@masscec.com.
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Offshore Wind Jobs
Looking for great candidates for open positions? Check out MassCEC''s Clean Energy Jobs Board, where you can submit job postings for full or part-time positions. Be sure to also check out MassCEC''s Clean Energy Resume Board, where you can browse resumes of job seekers who have expressed interest in clean energy job opportunities.
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About MassCEC
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is a state economic development agency dedicated to accelerating the growth of the clean energy sector across the Commonwealth to spur job creation, deliver statewide environmental benefits, and secure long-term economic growth for the people of Massachusetts. MassCEC's Offshore Wind strategy centers around accelerating the responsible development of offshore wind projects and increasing the role of Massachusetts companies, institutions, and workers in the offshore wind industry.
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Connect With Us
offshorewind@masscec.com
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