Why Planned Offshore Transmission?

 

REPORT

Offshore Transmission in New England: The Benefits of a Better-Planned Grid

The Brattle Group’s report describes the pivotal role of transmission policy in the development of New England’s offshore wind industry.

Read the Full Report

Benefits

Independent Offshore Transmission

Enabling offshore wind to scale

Continuing the growth of offshore wind depends on phased development of transmission infrastructure to efficiently integrate new wind farms with the grid. Focusing on transmission first will avoid pitfalls that have stalled other sources of renewable energy in New England.

Reducing costs

Providing ready connections to the onshore grid can drive down the price of developing wind farms. European countries that developed independent offshore transmission have seen wind farms developed without subsidies.

Minimizing impacts on fisheries and the environment

Independent transmission systems can be used by multiple wind farms, reducing the number of cables in the seabed and minimizing impacts on fisheries, marine ecosystems and shoreline communities.

Supporting economic development

Independent transmission will enable offshore wind to grow steadily and for years to come, attracting manufacturers and making use of New England’s skilled workforce and strategically-located ports.

What Others Are Saying

“Once the first few [offshore wind] projects are constructed and connected to the grid, it will be difficult to reach the goals set forth by states without a coordinated grid approach.”

Liz Burdock
President & CEO of Business Network for Offshore Wind

“A connected offshore transmission system can actually reinforce the onshore grid.”

Johannes Pfeifenberger
Transmission Expert at the Brattle Group

“Thoughtful planning for new energy generation and transmission is critical for consumers.”

Consumer Energy Alliance

“Not allowing a shared transmission model may limit expansion and raise costs and make building multiple projects much more complicated.”

Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM)

“Transmission planning is important in order to reach the state’s long-term offshore wind goals. Coordinating transmission from multiple projects may lead to considerable ratepayer savings, better environmental outcomes, better grid stability, and may significantly reduce permitting risk.”

New Jersey 2020 Energy Master Plan

“As the European experience shows, if governments insist that transmission is built right — shared, independent and for the long-term — scale, competition, and good pricing will follow.”

Wilfred Breuer
Managing Director of Tennet Offshore GmbH

“To date, all offshore wind farms in GB have been connected to the onshore system by individual point-to-point, or radial, links. We acknowledge that this type of link may not be the best outcome for consumers in the future as generating capacity increases, and may also increase pressure on coastal connection points.”

The United Kingdom's Office of Gas and Electricity Markets

“Transmission is a critical challenge that needs to be addressed in order for us to seize this opportunity and unlock the next generation of offshore wind projects in the region. Given the astounding benefits that the responsible development of offshore wind would offer our region – from high-quality jobs and economic opportunity to reducing pollution and carbon emissions, it’s no wonder that diverse interests across all six states want to see it get built.”

Susannah Hatch
New England for Offshore Wind

Our Projects

Transforming Legacy Infrastructure
for the Renewable Era

Boston Wind Link will bring offshore wind directly to Greater Boston through a subsea and underground transmission system connecting to the substation at the Mystic Generating Station in Everett, MA. Mystic Generating Station is currently New England’s largest natural gas- and oil-burning powerplant, and the plant’s retirement in 2024 provides an ideal opportunity to substitute fossil fuel power with clean energy.

SouthCoast Wind will bring offshore wind to a robust grid connection on Massachusetts’ South Coast at the site of the former Brayton Point Power Station in Somerset, MA. Reusing the legacy infrastructure from New England’s largest coal-fired power plant, Anbaric developed the Brayton Point Renewable Energy Center, combining offshore transmission and energy storage to help transform the site to an offshore wind hub. In May 2021, Anbaric and SouthCoast Wind announced an agreement to use the transmission assets developed by Anbaric to bring clean, renewable offshore wind energy to Brayton Point. Read the press release.
Connecticut Wind Link will connect clean offshore wind power to Connecticut’s grid, enabling a 100% carbon-free grid and reducing the reliance on fossil fuel-burning power plants. Investments in local grid connections will drive economic activity and increase reliability and resiliency. Routing offshore wind power to the core of Connecticut’s grid will provide power where it is needed most, while avoiding the vulnerability and costs of overhead power lines.

Organizations We Support

Current News

February 8, 2023

Massachusetts Residents Urge the Commonwealth to Build an Ocean Grid for Offshore Wind

Anbaric Development Partners delivered over 400 letters from Massachusetts residents to Secretary of the Energy and Environmental Affairs Rebecca Tepper supporting the development of an ocean grid to connect offshore wind farms to shore.

January 25, 2023

Anbaric Statement on New England States Collaboration to Access Federal Funding for Transmission

Anbaric commends New England states’ announcement of applications to the Department of Energy (DOE) for funding needed to build transmission projects, and for their commitment to accelerating the growth renewable energy.

January 24, 2023

Anbaric Statement on Brattle Group Offshore Wind Transmission Report

Anbaric released a statement from CEO Clarke Bruno on the recently published Brattle Group Offshore Wind Transmission Report. 

September 1, 2022

Anbaric Statement on the New Regional Energy Transmission Infrastructure Initiative

Anbaric Development Partners released the following statement on Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island’s joint Request for Information to integrate clean energy resources. 

 

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