The Answer is Blowing in the Wind
It’s not just in the lyrics of the classic Bob Dylan song. Maine, Virginia and New Jersey will soon be joined by New York in accelerating the East Coast market for offshore wind energy, literally finding answers for their renewable energy needs “blowing in the wind”. Last month, New Jersey awarded a record $1.6B for an offshore 1,100-MW wind energy generation project to Danish developer Orsted. Virginia has funded its first offshore wind energy project which is scheduled to become operational by the end of 2020. The $300M project belongs to Dominion Energy and will feature a two-turbine 12-MW generating station. Located in 80-foot-deep waters about 27 miles east of Virginia Beach, the project is the first in the U.S. to be constructed in federally owned waters. The turbines for this project are also being built by Orsted, with blades reaching up to 600 feet high.
Read about the New Jersey and Virginia offshore wind projects:
- https://www.windpowerengineering.com/business-news-projects/orsted-wins-historic-1100-mw-offshore-wind-solicitation/
- https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/virginias-first-offshore-wind-project-gets-underway/
The New Jersey project is the largest single project awarded so far in the U.S. It is scheduled for completion by 2024. Virginia’s Dominion Energy project includes a 112,800 acre offshore commercial lease, which could support more than 2,000-MW of renewable energy. So, how does new construction technology play into renewable energy? Arguably, the most complex machine on Earth is the electrical grid. According to a recent Renewable Energy World article, AI algorithms are poised to revolutionize the way energy is produced, transmitted, and consumed in the next grid. AI will improve centralized control centers; allow new capabilities for integrating microgrids; drive new smart consumer devices and value streams (integrated systems); and will improve the placement and value of distributed renewable energy. Electrical Contractors are in position to lead in construction of renewable energy sources like wind farms, and also in the application of integrated systems and the Artificial Intelligence to manage the harnessing and distribution of it all.
Watch video of UK’s new operational Beatrice offshore wind farm:
NECA Technology – the Project for Applied and Disruptive Technology, explores the world of technology and keeps members informed of what’s happening today, and of what will be launched in the not-too-distant future. Dr. Joey Shorter has an extensive background in education and experience in translating the work of academics into understandable, practical ideas