The US Department of the Interior has approved the 2.8GW Atlantic Shores offshore wind farm.
The project will bolster the nation's offshore wind energy capacity, contributing to the 13GW of projects sanctioned under President Biden's administration.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland stated: “The Biden-Harris administration is building momentum every day for our clean energy future, and today’s milestone is yet another step toward our ambitious goal of deploying 30GW of offshore energy by 2030.
“Our clean energy future is now a reality. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda we are addressing climate change, fostering job growth and promoting equitable economic opportunities for all communities.”
Located 8.7 miles offshore New Jersey, the Atlantic Shores South project will feature two wind energy facilities and associated export cables. It will generate sufficient electricity to supply one million homes.
The proposal for Atlantic Shores South includes the installation of 200 wind turbine generators and as many as ten offshore substations.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has authorised the construction of 195 wind turbine generators - a slight adjustment from the initial proposal.
National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi stated: “Under President Biden’s leadership, this administration is building a bright future for American offshore wind, going from zero gigawatts of commercial-scale projects approved to more than 13 gigawatts in the last three years – a surge of progress that means good-paying jobs for thousands of workers and clean energy for millions of homes,”
“Today’s approval of an offshore wind project that has a labour agreement with six New Jersey unions reflects the win-win opportunities that we are seizing to benefit local workers and communities. The Biden-Harris administration will continue to use every available tool to grow the American offshore wind industry as we strengthen the nation’s power grid and tackle the climate crisis.”\
It will be connected by subsea transmission cables with potential landfall points in Atlantic City and Sea Girt, New Jersey.
In March 2024, BOEM finalised the designation of a 32GW offshore wind energy area (WEA) in the Gulf of Maine.
