Google-backed Offshore Wind Power Superhighway Moves Forward

May 16th, 2012 by Zachary Shahan

The Google-backed Atlantic offshore superhighway (of transmission lines) for wind power that we’ve written about several times now has just moved another step forward.

The Department of the Interior stated on Monday that there was “no overlapping competitive interest” for the areas where the $5-billion project would be constructed. This decision leads us to the next step in the process — environmental review of the Atlantic Wind Connection line.

But the project is still a little ways from breaking any ground.

The environmental review could take up to 18-24 months, and there are other items awaiting approval as well. “The project faces regional and federal regulatory hurdles which backers hope to clear within two years so it can nail down financial agreements and start transmitting power by the end of 2017,” Reuters notes.

Other than Google, companies funding the project include Good Energies and Japan’s Marubeni Corp.

Of course, the Atlantic also needs to get its first offshore wind farm fully approved and built to make use of this transmission superhighway.

Source: Reuters
Image Credit: Google

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Tags: Atlantic, Atlantic offshore wind, Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium, Atlantic offshore wind superhighway, Atlantic wind, Atlantic Wind Connection, AWC, good energies, Google, google clean energy, google offshore wind, google wind, google wind superhighway, Marubeni, Marubeni Corp, mid-atlantic offshore wind, quickies

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.