Connecticut Approves 250 Megawatts Of Clean Energy Including 200 Megawatt Revolution Offshore Wind Farm

The State of Connecticut has this week approved 250 megawatts (MW) worth of renewable energy projects submitted to a recent Request for Proposals, including what will be the state’s first offshore wind farm, the 200 MW Revolution Wind Project proposed by Deepwater Wind.

Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy and the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Robert Klee announced on Wednesday the projects awarded out of DEEP’s recent Clean Energy Request for Proposals. In total, 250 MW was awarded across six projects:

• 200 MW (824,830 MWh) offshore wind from the Revolution Wind Project (Deepwater Wind). This will be incremental to the 400 MW from the same project selected by Rhode Island.
• 52 MW (450,011 MWh) fuel cells including:
  • Energy and Innovation Park New Britain (Doosan) 19.98 MW
  • Colchester (Bloom) 10 MW
  • Hartford Fuel Cell (Fuel Cell Energy) 7.4 MW
  • Derby Fuel Cell (Fuel Cell Energy) 14.8 MW
• 1.6 MW (10,519 MWh) Anaerobic Digestion Southington (Turning Earth)

Of particular interest from the awarded projects, however, was the 200 MW Revolution Wind Project, first announced by developer Deepwater Wind back in the middle of 2017 when it was a proposed 144 MW offshore wind farm with a 40 MW-hour (MWh) Tesla battery storage system. Deepwater Wind proposed several variations for the Request for Proposals, and it has now been reimagined as a 200 MW project.

The 200 MW Revolution Wind Project is in addition to the 400 MW Revolution Wind project that was awarded capacity by the state of Rhode Island in late-May — meaning simply that Deepwater Wind will develop 600 MW worth of offshore wind power at its site located roughly halfway between Montauk, N.Y., and Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. More specifically, the project is located within the same federal lease site as Deepwater Wind’s 90 MW South Fork Wind Farm which is currently in development.

“We have an obligation to our children and grandchildren to invest in energy projects that reduce the impacts of harmful emissions,” said Governor Malloy. “That’s why Connecticut is making investments in the technologies of the future, not of the past. These projects will result in thousands of new Connecticut jobs, helping to grow our economy, while doing so in a clean and sustainable way.”

The project will not only provide clean energy to Connecticut, but in its submission process Deepwater Wind committed to providing at least $15 million in investment in the New London State Pier and directing “significant portions” of the construction and assembly of the project to companies in New London, among several other promises to Connecticut. Deepwater Wind expects that the project will result in over 1,400 jobs over the construction and life of the project.

The move was unsurprisingly heralded as a big win for the American clean energy industry by proponents of the sector.

“Governor Malloy’s offshore wind leadership positions Connecticut as a first mover for this new American industry,” said Nancy Sopko, Director, Offshore Wind, American Wind Energy Association. “With demand for 1,400 megawatts of U.S. offshore wind announced in less than a month, there’s a golden opportunity for heavy manufacturing companies and shipbuilders to invest in American jobs, factories and infrastructure.”

“It’s been an incredible month for US offshore wind power and we applaud Gov. Malloy for joining the region’s leaders in launching this new industry that can deliver cost-effective, reliable, job-creating clean energy to New England,” added Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “Responsibly developed offshore wind power is one the largest sources of wildlife-friendly electricity available, and we are thrilled to see this innovative state collaboration to bring costs down and create increased local investment opportunities for communities across the region.

“The National Wildlife Federation congratulates Deepwater Wind on their recent successes and will continue to work with these and other industry leaders to ensure that all offshore wind projects are built and operated with strong protections in place for wildlife. Now is the time for bold action to protect wildlife and communities from the dangers of climate change, and today’s action by Connecticut is exactly the kind leadership needed to bring a critically needed climate solution online.”