South Fork Offshore Wind Project

U.S. offshore wind turbines - credit: BOEM

In February 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony celebrated progress of the South Fork wind energy project. South Fork is the second commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project approved for federal waters in the United States.

The South Fork project will be located offshore Rhode Island and New York and have a capacity of 130 megawatts of wind energy.

In November 2021, the Department of the Interior announced the approval of the construction and operation of the South Fork wind project.

The South Fork project is expected to directly support approximately 165 jobs over the two-year construction period and approximately 10 long-term jobs during the operations and maintenance period. The project will also support jobs in the supply chain and service industries.

South Fork Wind Project Highlights:

On January 4, 2021, BOEM released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project was published on August 16, 2021.

On January 18, 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the Construction and Operations Plan for the South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project.

South Fork's offshore wind turbines will be located offshore Rhode Island and New York and have a capacity of 130 megawatts of wind energy.

Offshore Wind Power Facts

In 2022, the U.S. Federal government set a national offshore wind energy goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.

BOEM expects to complete the review of at least 16 plans to construct and operate commercial offshore wind energy facilities by 2025.

BOEM expects to hold lease sales in the New York Bight and offshore the Carolinas and California in 2022.

The U.S. Federal government is actively working with states, Tribes, ocean users, and key stakeholders to explore wind potential in the Gulf of Maine and in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as offshore Oregon and Hawaii.

In 2020, the U.S. offshore wind energy project development and operational pipeline grew to a potential generating capacity of 35,324 megawatts (MW). Capacity increased by 24% 2020, up from 28,521 MW in 2019

As of 2022, two U.S. offshore wind energy projects are in operation: the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) and the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project (12 MW).

In the New England Region, Vineyard Wind 1 is fully approved, has received all permits, an offtake contract to sell the power, and an interconnection agreement to deliver it to the grid.

The U.S. offshore wind industry has the potential to generate more than $100 billion in revenue to businesses in the supply chain over the next decade.

The United States Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) provides the locations of land-based and offshore wind turbines in the United States, corresponding wind project information, and turbine technical specifications. 

Offshore wind power turbine platforms provide habitat for fish and marine life.

Rotating wind turbines are known to pose a hazard to birds. Proposals have included locating marine wind power components along important bird migration routes.

Offshore wind power infrastructure can conflict with existing marine activity. Commercial fishermen and other mariners complain that wind power facilities can block or restrict access to prime fishing areas.