Wind

New England states bid for up to $1.82bn in US offshore wind and regional grid funds

Proposals aim to integrate 4.5GW of offshore wind and other renewables and include collaboration with New York for interregional transmission

US power lines
US power linesFoto: Brad K/Flickr
US Offshore Wind Editor, Recharge

A consortium of six New England states has submitted bids for up to $1.82bn in funding in round 2 of Grid Innovation Programme (GIP) for offshore wind and interregional transmission sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DoE).

GIP is part of DoE’s $10.5bn Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships initiative to support projects that enhance transmission “reliability and resilience using advanced technologies and innovative partnerships and approaches.” Funding is available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

The first proposal, submitted by energy regulators from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, was for new and upgraded power lines and points of interconnection to integrate 4.5GW of offshore wind electricity to the grid of New England Independent System Operator (ISO-NE).

Dubbed Power Up New England, it includes battery storage in both southern Connecticut and northern Maine and is supported by developers Elevate Renewables, Eversource Energy, National Grid, and an unidentified storage firm.
The second proposal, Clean Resilience Link, joins the New England-based regulators with New York State to develop a 345kV interregional transmission upgrade to raise transfer capacity between the two regions by up to 1GW, and is sponsored by National Grid and Reactive Technologies.

“The Northeast region offers DoE two compelling applications, highlighting our strong regional ties,” said Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DER) commissioner Elizabeth Mahony.

“As we work to achieve our climate goals and increase the generation of renewable energy in the region, we need to invest in our transmission system and storage resources to deliver clean energy to our residents and businesses.”

The bids were initially submitted to the New England consortium in response to their request for proposals last September, where they were evaluated by regulators with help from ISO-NE.

Deadline for submission to GIP was 17 April. Last October DoE awarded $1.4bn to eight projects through its first GIP round.

Maximum awards are up to $1bn for projects requiring significant transmission investment, including Power Up New England and Clean Resilience Link.

Up to $1.82bn in funding is available through the second GIP round. A winning award would help “offset costs for transmission and storage infrastructure projects that support clean energy goals, enhance operational flexibility, grid reliability, and resilience during extreme weather events and periods of system stress,” said Mass DER.

"The funding would be transformational for the development of renewable energy and grid resiliency across the entire Northeast region," said Massachusetts Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey.

New England is spearheading regional collaboration in the US energy transition, including the nation’s first tristate offshore wind procurement that includes Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island that closed last month for up to 6.8GW.
(Copyright)
Published 17 April 2024, 20:37Updated 17 April 2024, 20:37
AmericasUSNew EnglandISO New England