Erno's summary sheet on Offshore wind for Waterfront Alliance March 9 2021 meeting
Issue: The current focus on renewable energy is driven by the urgent need to reduce burning of fossil fuels. Continuing to use fossil fuels as we do today risks serious impacts on our coast: rising sea levels, extreme weather events and major environmental changes. The Maine Climate Council report Maine Won't Wait provides details.
Offshore wind (OSW) is a maturing source of renewable electricity elsewhere in the world; U Maine is a world leader in floating offshore wind (FOW) generating technology with its floating VolturnUS design which is adapted for use in the deep federal waters of the Gulf of Maine (GOM). FOW will eventually be developed in GOM federal waters, which are beyond the state's jurisdiction. Because of UMO's leadership in developing FOW technology, there is potential for new economic activity and jobs in Maine. Our community's challenge with OSW, is to thoughtfully plan, mitigate and balance impacts on Maine's fishing industry, cultural heritage and environment, among others.
Background: Maine has limited local energy resources and needs to diversify its renewable power resources to meet our renewable energy goals.
Specifically:
● Half of our fossil fuel consumption goes to vehicle fuel and heating buildings
● Maine exports $4.4 billion each year to purchase fossil fuel for in state use
● The state currently uses about $2.4 Gigawatts (GW) of electricity per year. Replacing fossil fuels used for vehicles and building heating will increase annual electric demand by about 5GW/year.
● Wind energy resources in the Gulf of Maine are significant, estimated at 156GW/year. The two current Maine projects:
● An Application to the Federal Bureau of Energy Management (BOEM) for a Research Lease in federal waters off southern Maine. Goal to submit application mid 2021.
● Offshore wind Roadmap study ($2.2m grant from US EDA) to begin soon and run for 2 years. The Governor's Energy Office (GEO) is the lead state agency
Overview of OSW activity elsewhere:
World: rapid growth and maturation (GWEC's Global Offshore Wind Report 2020 )
Europe- Installations began in early 1990s. 5,000 turbines in service, almost all fixed units in shallow water. Shallow water sites are filling up and prediction is that 50% of all offshore capacity will be floating and in deeper waters by 2050. Western Pacific also has lots of activity. Floating projects are just beginning in Europe and Western Pacific. Hywind Scotland was first floating offshore facility, in service 2017. Many more projects, both fixed and floating are in development.
US East Coast- 2 fixed, shallow water projects installed, many more in development
● Block Island- in state waters: 5 fixed turbines, total 30MW, in service 2016.
● Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project is in Federal waters (more than 12mi 03/05/21/12:11 ERB 1 offshore) it is a research lease in shallow waters. 2 turbines total 12Mw, in service 2019.
Maine 2008- UMO started development of floating technology. 2013- UMO 1/8 Scale VolturnUS technology demonstrator moored near Castine, fed power to grid for 18mo in 2013.
New England Aqua Ventus is poised to start building full size version of ita NEAV1 platform; expected to go into service at a site south of Monhegan in 2023. It is fully permitted and surveys for the project are beginning now.
