The U.S. state of Connecticut has vast wind energy resources offshore as well as onshore although Connecticut was the last state in the United States to block the construction of utility scale wind turbines [ citation needed ]. Connecticut maintains a renewable portfolio standard that requires 21% of the state's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. [1]
Until 2019, Connecticut was the only state in the United States to disallow the construction of utility-scale wind turbines. The state's two and a half year old ban on wind power was enacted in 2011, ostensibly to provide time for the Connecticut Siting Council to enact regulations governing the siting of wind turbines in the state. Those regulations were written in 2012 to address health and safety issues related to wind power, such as maximum noise levels and distances from neighboring properties, but the legislative committee tasked with approving state agency regulations has repeatedly refused to approve the regulations. On November 26, 2013, the Connecticut General Assembly's Regulation Review Committee, for the fourth time since 2012, blocked the Connecticut Siting Council's Regulations that would have ended the state's ban on new wind power projects. The committee, led by co-chairman State Representative Selim Noujaim, forced the Siting Council to withdraw its proposal. [2] This ban stands in stark contrast to Connecticut’s renewable energy laws requiring utilities to purchase 27% clean electricity (23% renewable) by the year 2020. [3]
Concerns about the development of regulations were documented at the CT Siting Council’s public forum on October 13, 2011, and its public hearing on July 24, 2012, [4] [5] [6]
In its second draft of wind regulations, the CT Siting Council increased the setback distance from 1.1 times to 1.5 times the height of an industrial wind turbine from property lines. Drafts 1, 2 and 3 were each rejected without prejudice by the Regulations Review Committee. The CT Siting Council submitted the third rejected draft again, unchanged, for a vote of the Regulations Review Committee on November 26, 2013. During that meeting, the CT Siting Council decided to withdraw the previously rejected third draft instead of putting it to another vote. [7]
The fourth draft was set for a vote at the April 22, 2014, meeting of the Regulations Review Committee. Changes in this draft include a financial assurance for decommissioning and requiring a 3/4 vote (rather than a simple majority) of the CT Siting Council for it to waive minimum setback distances and maximum shadow flicker on occupied structures. The CT Siting Council did not increase the setback distance.[ citation needed ]
Estimates by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory indicate that Connecticut has potential to install 26.5 MW, of onshore wind power using 80 meter high wind turbines. [8] [9]
Connecticut currently has three large scale wind turbines. These are:
Wind Colebrook is a permitted wind farm in Colebrook, Connecticut, developed by BNE Energy, with an expected capacity of 9.6 MW using 3 GE 1.6 MW wind turbines at Wind Colebrook North and 3 identical wind turbines at Wind Colebrook South. [12] Wind Colebrook won a legal battle with their opponent, Fair Wind CT, in Connecticut Superior Court in October 2012, as a judge said that the six turbines would not unduly hurt the environment or harm the neighbors. The two rulings this week by Judge Henry Cohn, for two separate proposals of three turbines each, leaves BNE Energy Inc. closer to building the 9.6 MW project in Colebrook. The project is currently halted due to the ban on wind farms in Connecticut [13]
Wind Colebrook North did not receive the required approval from the U.S. Army Corps. [14] This agency agreed with the CT State Historic Preservation Office that the industrial turbines would have an adverse effect on Rock Hall, an estate designed by Addison Mizner and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [15]
On February 21, 2014, the CT Supreme Court heard oral arguments in FairWindCT’s appeal against the CT Siting Council and BNE Energy for the approvals of Wind Colebrook South and Wind Colebrook North. [16] On September 15, 2014, the CT Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the wind project and the CT Siting Council. [17]
Wind Prospect is a canceled wind generation project, developed by BNE Energy, with an expected capacity of 3.2 MW utilizing 2 GE 1.6 MW wind turbines in Prospect, Connecticut. [18] The site is high on a ridge adjacent to and overlooking the New Naugatuck Reservoir. The predicted wind speeds and physical characteristics of the site are favorable for wind generation due to its elevation, orientation and topographical characteristics. The site is located within one hundred yards from the electrical grid. Wind Prospect would meet the annual electric power needs of approximately 25% of the Town’s residential electric users on average over the course of the year, and nearly 85% of the Town’s residential electric needs when the turbines are operating at full capacity. Wind Prospect would offset approximately 8 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year relative to conventional electricity generation. That’s equivalent to the estimated annual emissions produced by 1,154 cars or consuming more than 14,046 barrels of oil. [19]
Wind Prospect was denied by the CT Siting Council on May 12, 2011, which found ”the visual effects...are in conflict with the policies of the State concerning such effects and are a sufficient reason to deny the petition.” [20]
In 2019, the state awarded a contract to Vineyard Wind to develop offshore power at New England Wind, (originally Park City Wind. [21] The project is a proposed offshore wind farm being developed by Avangrid located about 23 miles (37 km) off the coast of Martha's Vineyard (MA), which will provide electriity to the state of Connecticut. [22] The project takes its name from the nickname of Bridgeport, where a offshore wind port is being developed at Bridgeport Harbor to support the project. [23] [24] [25] In October 2023, Avangrid canceled its contract with Connecticut due to higher development costs. [26]
State Pier ion the Port of New London is being developed as an offshore wind port. [27] [28] [29] [30] It will support projects such as the South Fork Wind Farm, Sunrise Wind, and Revolution Wind.
| Wind farm | Offshore BOEM wind energy lease area | Receiving state | Capacity (MW) | Projected completion | Turbines | Developer/Utility | Regulatory agency | Refs | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Wind | Offshore Massachusetts OCS-A 0501 | 23 miles off the coast of Martha's Vineyard (MA) | CT | 804 | 2025 | Avangrid Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners | Connecticut DEEP | [31] | ||
| Revolution Wind | Offshore Rhode Island OCS-A 0486 (North Lease Area) | halfway between Montauk Point (NY) & Martha’s Vineyard (MA) | 97,498 acres (39,456 ha) | RI CT | 700 | 2025 | Siemens Gamesa 8MW SG 8.0-167 | Ørsted Eversource National Grid United Illuminating | Connecticut DEEP Rhode Island PUC | [32] [33] |
A wind farm or wind park, or wind power plant, is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind turbines covering an extensive area. Wind farms can be either onshore or offshore.
Iberdrola, S.A. is a Spanish multinational electric utility company based in Bilbao, Spain. It has around 40,000 employees and serves around 30 million customers.
The United Kingdom is the best location for wind power in Europe and one of the best in the world. The combination of long coastline, shallow water and strong winds make offshore wind unusually effective.
Wind power is a branch of the energy industry that has expanded quickly in the United States over the last several years. In 2023, 421.1 terawatt-hours were generated by wind power, or 10.07% of electricity in the United States. The average wind turbine generates enough electricity in 46 minutes to power the average American home for one month. In 2019, wind power surpassed hydroelectric power as the largest renewable energy source in the U.S. The federal government and many state governments have policies that guide and support the development of the industry, including tax credits and renewable portfolio standards.
Wind power generation capacity in India has significantly increased in recent years. As of 30 September 2024, the total installed wind power capacity was 47.36 gigawatts (GW). India has the fourth largest installed wind power capacity in the world. Wind power capacity is mainly spread across the southern, western, and northwestern states. The onshore wind power potential of India was assessed at 132 GW with minimum 32% CUF at 120 m above the local ground level (agl). Whereas, the estimated potential at minimum 25% CUF is 695 GW at 120 agl.
The Burbo Bank Offshore Wind Farm is a 348 MW offshore wind farm located on the Burbo Flats in Liverpool Bay on the west coast of the UK in the Irish Sea. It consists of an original 90 MW wind farm commissioned in 2007 and a 258 MW extension completed in 2017.
There are a number of wind power projects in the state of Maine, totaling more than 900 megawatts (MW) in capacity. In 2020 they were responsible for 24% of in-state electricity production. In 2019, Maine had more wind capacity than the other five New England states combined, at 923 MW.
New York has 2,192 MW of installed wind power capacity as of 2022. Most of New York's wind power is located in upstate New York as onshore wind farms. New York has set a goal of developing 9,000 MW of offshore installed wind power capacity by 2035 that will power an estimated 6 million homes. As of October 2022, New York has five offshore wind farms in development with approximately 4,300 MW installed capacity.
The U.S. state of Massachusetts has vast wind energy resources offshore, as well as significant resources onshore. The 2016 update to the states's Clean Energy and Climate Plan had a goal of reducing 1990 baseline greenhouse gas emissions levels by 25% by 2020. Current goals include installing 3,500 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind power in the state by 2035. However, as of Q4 2021 the state had only 120 MW of wind powered electricity generating capacity, responsible for generating 0.9% of in-state electricity production. The state has awarded contracts to two offshore projects, the 800 MW Vineyard Wind project and 804 MW Mayflower Wind project. Construction began on the Vineyard Wind 1 project on November 18, 2021, after a long fight for approval. Commonwealth Wind was selected for development in 2021, but the developer has attempted to cancel the project due to increased costs. There are eight projects planned for off the southern coast of Massachusetts, though some will deliver power to Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.
Wind power in New Jersey is in the early stages of development. New Jersey has just six wind turbines, all land based, but the state has plans to develop several major offshore wind projects on the continental shelf of the Atlantic Ocean off the southern Jersey Shore. Legislation has been enacted to support the industry through economic incentives and to permit wind turbines on existing piers.
Wind power in Hawaii is produced by the state's 132 commercial wind turbines, totaling 236 MW in capacity. In 2015, wind turbines produced 6.4% of Hawaii's electricity. In 2012, Hawaii generated 367 million kWh from wind power.
Renewable energy in Taiwan contributed to 8.7% of national electricity generation as of end of 2013. The total installed capacity of renewable energy in Taiwan by the end of 2013 was 3.76 GW.
Wind power in North Carolina is found along the coastal areas in the east and mountain regions in the western part of the state. The state has significant offshore wind resources. In 2015, small scale wind turbine projects were found throughout the state. In 2016, North Carolina's first large scale wind project, and the first in the southeastern U.S., was completed near Elizabeth City.
Wind power in Wisconsin started in 1990 with the installation of the Lincoln Turbines wind farm, and contributes to the state's renewable portfolio standard established in 1998. In 2016, Wisconsin had a wind generating capacity of 648 megawatts (MW), responsible for generating 2.4% of its electricity. In 2019, this increased to a capacity of 737 MW, and a 2.63% of generation.
Wind power is a major industry in Taiwan. Taiwan has abundant wind resources however a lack of space on land means that most major developments are offshore.
The Desert Wind Farm, also known as Amazon Wind Farm US East, spans Perquimans and Pasquotank County on the Atlantic coastal plain in northeast North Carolina. With a total generating capacity of 208 megawatts (MW), it became the first large wind farm in the southeast United States when it came online at the end of 2016. All of the electricity is contracted to Amazon to power its growing data centers in Virginia and the region.
Vineyard Wind 1 is an offshore wind farm under construction in U.S. federal waters in the Atlantic Ocean in Bureau of Ocean Energy Management-designated Lease Area OCS-A 0520, about 13 nautical miles south of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts. The array is designed to include 62 Haliade-X wind turbines manufactured by GE Offshore Wind with a nameplate capacity of 804 MW combined, equivalent to the annual power use of 400,000 homes. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved the project in 2019. Construction began on November 18, 2021. In October 2023, the first turbine was installed. Power from the first turbine started flowing into the ISO New England grid on January 2, 2024. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2024.
Offshore wind power is in the early stages of development in the United States. In 2022, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated that the country has a "technical" resource potential of 1,476 GW (fixed-bottom) and 2,773 GW (floating) offshore wind power. Offshore wind projects are under development in wind-rich areas of the East Coast, Great Lakes, and Pacific coast. The first offshore wind farm, Block Island Wind Farm, began operation in 2016. The first commercial-scale offshore plant, the South Fork Wind Farm off Rhode Island, was fully commissioned on March 14, 2024. As of May 31, 2024, total offshore wind power was 174 MW.
New England Wind, formerly called Park City Wind and Commonwealth Wind, is a proposed offshore wind farm to be located about 23 miles (37 km) off the coast of Martha's Vineyard (MA) on Outer Continental Shelf in U.S. territorial waters of the East Coast of the United States. Avangrid is the developer.
| Wind power by state |
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