In its most recent 2.7GW offshore wind auction, Atlantic Shores and Orsted emerged as winners. The former, a joint venture of EDF Renewables and Shell, won with a 1.5GW offer in the southern half of its lease area, 17 km from shore. The New Jersey regulators also awarded the tender to build the 1,148 MW Ocean Wind 2 farm to Denmark’s Orsted
The first grant in 2019 was given to Orsted and its Ocean Wind 1 project, which plans to build 92 turbines off the coasts of Cape May and southern New Jersey to generate 1,100 megawatts. The wind farm is presently ranked second in the federal government’s queue of offshore wind projects under consideration, following the Biden administration’s approval of the Vineyard farm off the coast of Massachusetts in May.
The project Atlantic Shores project will use 13.6 MW Vestas turbines, will be completed in two phases in 2027 and 2028. It is set to start construction in 2024. The project includes a commitment to educate and recruit local people for the wind project’s construction and maintenance, as well as a 10MW green hydrogen pilot with South Jersey Industries.
Meanwhile, Orsted’s Ocean Wind 2 project, which will include GE Haliade-X 14MW turbines. In 2028 and 2029, the project will be completed in three parts and the developer and GE will build a nacelle assembly factory for the project at the New Jersey Wind Port. The plant will employ 500 people full-time and represents a $250 million investment in southern New Jersey. In the round, New Jersey’s second offshore wind solicitation, the two developers were the sole bidders.
