“As US Wind works to develop offshore wind off Maryland’s coast, it’s imperative that we do so responsibly,” said Jeff Grybowski, CEO of US Wind. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with UMCES on industry-leading environmental research that will enhance protections for marine life as we develop this clean energy resource for the region.”

The three UMCES research projects are:

• Commercial and Recreational Fisheries Monitoring: The goal of this eight-year program is to evaluate the extent that which black sea bass change their aggregation behaviors before, during and after construction. Black sea bass are structure-oriented with large aggregations occurring on artificial reefs and wrecks. Turbine foundations will add structure within US Wind’s Lease where very little currently exists.
• Near Real-Time Whale Detection: This initiative will continue the deployment of a near real-time whale detection system to provide timely alerts on the presence of baleen whales (North Atlantic right whales, and humpback, fin and sei whales) for a 12-month period from 2022 to 2023.
• Passive Acoustic Monitoring Array: This long-term research project will support passive acoustic monitoring to detect large whales — such as North Atlantic right whales — and dolphins to understand their presence and migration patterns in and around the Lease area and the potential effects of construction.

“The Department appreciates the coordinated research into safer equipment and marine wildlife monitoring,” said Catherine McCall, director of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Office of Ocean and Coastal Management. “The ongoing deployment of Maryland’s whale monitoring buoy provides daily detections and helps resource managers protect sensitive species.”

Additionally, US Wind contracted Normandeau Associates to conduct aerial surveys to identify birds potentially displaced by the wind farm once turbines are installed. These research and monitoring programs inform the federal government for construction and operation approvals on offshore wind projects.

Monitoring these populations is a critical step in conservation to measure changes, track threats and evaluate the success of wildlife management. The projects were selected based on their efficacy and ability to complement existing research efforts in the scientific community. All data will be made available to government and academic researchers, and reports and information will be made publicly available to help protect these important species and ecosystems for generations to come.

“We’re really pleased with this continued partnership with US Wind on important questions related to the environmental impacts of offshore wind development,” said Peter Goodwin, president of UMCES. “We look forward to working with them along with state and federal agencies to help make the best decisions to minimize impacts to the environment.”

News item from US Wind

The post US Wind increases wildlife monitoring programs for offshore lease area appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.

US Winds install a meteorological buoy off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland on May 19, 2021. Credit: Gabriella Demczuk

The Floating Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) buoy uses an eye-safe, continuous-wave laser to measure wind speeds and direction across the turbine height. These measurements, along with surface meteorology and ocean condition observations, will help inform US Wind’s energy production estimates and overall project design.

The buoy will also let US Wind collect advanced environmental and wildlife data through sensors for monitoring bats, birds, fish and other marine mammals to determine their presence, frequency and distribution within the lease area. Subsets of the metocean observations will be posted publicly on US Wind’s website.

“The deployment of our metocean buoy is a critical milestone in our commitment to help meet Maryland’s renewable energy goals,” said Jeff Grybowski, US Wind CEO. “The data collected will advance our understanding of wind and wildlife patterns in our lease area to inform the most environmentally responsible and efficient design, project layout and turbine siting.”

Cleanly powered by solar panels and wind turbines, along with an onboard fuel cell and battery back-up system, the buoy will be deployed within the lease area for two years.

Baltimore City-based Moss Marine USA coordinated all local logistics for the work done at Tradepoint Atlantic. Chelsea Moss, founder of Moss Wind USA, a woman-owned Maryland business, served as on-site facilitator.

“Having visited Denmark and witnessing the success of offshore wind overseas, I am extremely proud and inspired to be a member of the LiDAR project team, helping US Wind gain the information they need to develop the MarWin project,” said Chelsea Moss, founder of Moss Wind USA. “This is a very exciting time to be working in offshore wind, especially for small, women- and minority-owned businesses in Maryland. I look forward to seeing turbines off Maryland’s coast upright and turning.”

The buoy deployment was staged out of Tradepoint Atlantic (TPA), an offshore wind port on the east coast, located at Sparrows Point. TPA’s facilities provided ideal accommodations for the safe and efficient assembly, port-side testing and load-out of the buoy and associated equipment, according to a press release.

“The deployment of US Wind’s LiDAR Bouy represents another step forward for offshore wind in Maryland, and further demonstrates that Baltimore and Tradepoint Atlantic continue to be the ideal hub for offshore wind in the Mid-Atlantic,” said Russell Williams, director of offshore wind development for Tradepoint Atlantic.

US Wind acquired an 80,000-acre federal lease area off of the coast of Maryland in 2014. In 2017, the company was awarded Offshore Renewable Energy Credits from the State of Maryland for the first phase of its MarWin project. In total, the company’s lease area can support approximately 1.5 GW of offshore wind energy capacity. In 2019, Maryland passed the Clean Energy Jobs Act, which increased the state’s offshore wind energy requirements, calling for an additional 1.2 GW to be procured from developers with projects near the state’s coast.

News item from US Wind

The post US Wind deploys meteorological buoy in Maryland offshore wind lease area appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.

US Wind holds the lease for an offshore wind project 17 miles off the coast from Ocean City, which is currently the largest planned offshore wind farm in the U.S.

Baltimore-based offshore wind developer US Wind Inc. is commending the introduction of federal legislation that would extend tax credits for offshore wind development that were initially set to expire this year.

The new legislation includes the:

• Offshore Wind Incentives for New Development Act, introduced by Senators Markey (D-MA), Whitehouse (D-RI), and Congressman Jim Langevin (RI-02)
• Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act, introduced by Senators Carper (D-DE) and Collins (R-ME) would extend the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) at 30% of the project’s total value for six years and eight years, respectively.

“As the developer of what will be one of the largest commercial offshore wind energy projects in the nation, we applaud these congressional leaders for their vision and determination to incentivize this emerging new clean energy sector in the United States,” said Riccardo Toto, president of US Wind Inc.

US Wind is currently planning its Maryland project, which is expected to be operational during 2023. The offshore wind farm will include the installation of up to 32 wind turbines, about 17 miles off the coast of Ocean City. It is expected to produce 268 MW of offshore wind power, an amount sufficient to provide 76,000 Maryland homes with clean, renewable energy.

“There is no disputing the significant economic benefits that offshore wind represents for local economies and the environment, while generating tens of thousands of high-paying skilled jobs and providing clean energy power to hundreds of thousands of households,” added Toto.

It is anticipated that the US Wind project will result in the creation of approximately 7,000 direct and indirect jobs and represent an in-state investment of nearly $1.5 billion.

The post US Wind applauds extension of offshore wind tax credit appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.