MassCEC Offshore Wind Newsletter |
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June 2022 Welcome to Massachusetts Clean Energy Center's (MassCEC) Offshore Wind Newsletter! This periodic newsletter provides updates on the industry and the initiatives that MassCEC and other regional organizations are spearheading to advance the responsible development of offshore wind energy. You are receiving this newsletter because you have been engaged with MassCEC's work in offshore wind in the past, and we want to keep you informed as a valued partner in our efforts. Please reach out to offshorewind@masscec.com with any questions or comments. |
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MassCEC Offshore Wind Initiatives and Updates |
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MassCEC is pleased to announce the release of the Massachusetts Offshore Wind Industry Ports Investment Challenge. With support from the recently established Massachusetts Offshore Wind Industry Investment Fund, MassCEC is seeking to competitively select, and fund qualified applicants or applicant teams to implement eligible maritime port redevelopment and improvement projects that will have a significant impact on the advancement of the offshore wind sector and capture high-value supply chain and workforce opportunities in the Commonwealth.
Through this competitive solicitation, MassCEC intends to utilize state grant resources to leverage significant investments in specific rehabilitation and redevelopment activities that will directly enable a Massachusetts port facility to provide critical services and supplies for the offshore wind industry, including manufacturing and fabrication, pre-assembly and staging, operation/service support capabilities, and other activities that are directly connected to offshore wind projects and generate new employment opportunities and sustainable local economic benefits. |
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MassCEC to announce the 2022 Offshore Wind Works awards. Earlier this year, MassCEC released its fourth Offshore Wind Works competitive Solicitation, which seeks to support programs and projects that advance offshore wind workforce development in the Commonwealth. The 2022 Solicitation sought proposals specifically to advance initiatives relating to one or more of the following focus areas: - Skilled Trades
- Vocational-Technical Schools
- Higher Education
- Industry Partnerships
- Infrastructure
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice
In March, MassCEC received eleven proposals spanning a wide range of approaches to these outlined focus areas. MassCEC assembled a group of individuals with workforce development and offshore wind expertise to review the proposals, including representatives from three offshore wind developers (Mayflower Wind, Vineyard Wind, and Avangrid Renewables). MassCEC looks forward to announcing the awards and more details on the funding for this portfolio of offshore wind workforce development programs and projects.
Please visit our website to learn more about the Offshore Wind Works program and access examples of past and current work supported under this program. |
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TH!NK Safety Day - Presented by JDR Cable Systems & IBEW Local 223 |
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 | | Paul Tranter, UK HSE Manager of JDR Cable Systems, demonstrates the proper use of personal protective equipment and current sea survival gear worn by electrical workers offshore. |
 | Doug Nelson, Business Manager - IBEW 223
Photo Credit: Chris Alves, IBEW 223 |
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In March, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 223 hosted Th!nk Safety Day in partnership with JDR Cable Systems. The theme of the day was "Communication" and its importance in ensuring offshore wind projects are delivered safely. JDR divided the day into three sessions, tailoring information to students, apprentices, and local businesses. In attendance were electrical students from area vocational-technical schools interested in learning more about opportunities to work in offshore wind. Students were able to actively engage with JDR's UK Health and Safety Manager, Paul Tranter, who answered questions about life working on an offshore wind turbine. Attendees were given the opportunity to try on sea survival gear and strap into a hoist system that will be required to service a turbine.
In August 2021, Vineyard Wind announced its selection of Jan De Nul Group and its subcontractors JDR Cable Systems, to supply and install the 130 miles of inter-array cables for the Vineyard Wind 1 project. In 2020, IBEW 223, in partnership with JDR Cable Systems, received a MassCEC Offshore Wind Works award to establish a high voltage and fiber optic training program for skilled electricians at IBEW's training facility in Taunton. |
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Wildlife
New Name for the Regional Wildlife Science Entity. The group spearheading efforts to identify and prioritize regional wildlife science has slightly rebranded as the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind or RWSC. The RWSC – administered by the Northeast Regional Ocean Council and Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean with the Coastal States Stewardship Foundation – aims to develop an RWSC Integrated Science Plan for Offshore Wind and Wildlife by early 2023. The Science Plan will articulate the data collection and analysis activities needed for identifying, assessing, and avoiding impacts on wildlife due to offshore wind development, and will provide a roadmap for funding those activities. RWSC is establishing several subcommittees as a venue for scientific and technical experts from academia, state government, NGOs, and industry to inform development of the Science Plan. Subcommittee topic areas include:- Marine Mammals
- Sea Turtles
- Birds and Bats
- Habitat and Ecosystem
- Protected Fish Species
- Cross-taxa / cross-cutting
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 | | A fin whale documented during a 2021 New England Aquarium aerial survey in Massachusetts Bay. CREDIT: New England Aquarium |
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States and Federal Government Partner to Continue Aerial Wildlife Surveys. MassCEC and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM; related press release) have partnered to continue aerial surveys to document whale and sea turtle presence in the southern New England wind energy areas. The Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative helped broker an agreement under which MassCEC and BOEM will fund surveys conducted by the New England Aquarium for the period January through August 2022. New York and Connecticut may also provide funding for this survey campaign.
While conducting a related survey over Cape Cod Bay in April 2022 the Aquarium noted the presence of more than 100 whales, including 27 critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. Cape Cod Bay is not an area for offshore wind development. The New England Aquarium surveyed this area as a way to test the ability to visually identify whales from a higher altitude than surveys are typically flown. |
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Fish
Update on Pilot Regional Fisheries Studies. Two of the pilot regional fisheries studies funded in 2019 by MassCEC, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management are nearing completion. A final report is expected this summer from the UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology on its net surveys to document the presence of lobster and fish larvae in the southern New England wind energy areas. UMass Dartmouth conducted the surveys in summer 2020 and 2021. Also this summer INSPIRE Environmental of Newport, Rhode Island will complete its final report on its two-year study to tag and monitor the presence of “highly migratory species” such as sharks and tuna in the wind energy areas. |
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Research and Innovation
Research Consortium Coordinates States’ Funding for Hurricane Risk Assessment. On March 15, 2022 the National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium announced a new research project, Ensuring Long-Term Availability and Bankability of Offshore Wind Through Hurricane Risk Assessment and Mitigation. Led by Northeastern University, with anticipated research support from the Johns Hopkins University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Colorado Boulder, Clemson University, and Tufts University, the project will receive $650,000 in combined funding through MassCEC’s AmplifyMass program and from the states of New Jersey and Maryland.
Exploring Options for an Offshore Wind and Marine Energy Innovation Center. MassCEC intends to fund a feasibility study for an offshore wind and marine energy innovation center focused in the City of New Bedford and the southeastern Massachusetts region. The innovation center would help address long-term challenges for offshore wind including deeper waters and greater distances from shore, larger turbines, grid integration, compatibility with fishing and wildlife, and safety. A request for proposals from firms that could conduct the feasibility study was posted in April 2022 with proposals due in late May. |
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 | Meeting the Challenges of Workforce Training for the Offshore Wind Industry: Pathways for Multidisciplinary Training
By Dr. Yashwant Sinha, Director of Offshore Wind Power Program,
Bristol Community College, New Bedford, MA.
The global installed capacity of offshore wind now exceeds 37 GW and by 2050, this capacity is expected to exceed 500 GW. During the last decade, the Offshore Wind Turbines (OWT) industry witnessed many successes including, the installation of floating wind turbines, improved efficiency and capacity factor, deployment of over 10 MW OWT, the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) of OWT reduced to half compared to the decade before, reducing payback period, and technological advances in reducing the O&M and installation costs. However, much needs to be done to reduce the high LCoE of OWT if we want to use OWT installations far and wide. Such cost reduction will need the development and use of novel technologies, tools, and instruments, and the identification of cost-intensive avenues in OWT that would individually need to be optimized. Continue reading this blog post here. |
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 | Building a Diverse Trades Workforce for the Offshore Wind Industry
By David Borrus
Business Manager, Pile Drivers and Divers Local Union 56
One of the major benefits of the emerging offshore wind energy industry in Massachusetts is that it will generate career opportunities for Cape Cod and South Coast residents. While the exact number of jobs within the burgeoning industry varies, they can generally be subcategorized as follows: - construction,
- operations and maintenance,
- supply chain management,
- environmental oversight, and
- onshore administration.
In a marked change from past job creation “booms,” state agencies like Mass CEC and the wind energy developers themselves, notably Vineyard Wind 1, announced early on that these opportunities must be more accessible and inclusive- especially for women and minority populations.
Continue reading this blog post here. |
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Offshore Wind News Roundup |
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Vineyard Wind Signs a Charter Deal for CTV with Patriot Offshore Maritime Services, to be built in Somerset, MA. Patriot will build the vessel in Somerset, MA, at Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, an established shipyard with more than 65 years of experience constructing high-speed aluminum crafts. The CTV will be based in New Bedford and other Massachusetts ports during the construction phase and in Vineyard Haven during the operation and management phase of the Vinyard Wind I project.
Former Massachusetts Coal Plant to Become $200 Million Offshore Wind Manufacturing Hub The site of what used to be the largest coal-fired power plant in New England will soon become home to a much more eco-friendly industrial operation. Italian energy and telecom cable provider Prysmian Group announced Feb. 17 that it finalized plans for a new submarine power cable factory at the former Brayton Power Plant in Somerset, Massachusetts.
New Bill in Massachusetts Raises Offshore Wind Target to 5.6 GW
The bill H4515, titled An Act advancing offshore wind and clean energy, requires state utilities to enter into long-term contracts for offshore wind energy generation “equal to approximately 5,600 megawatts of aggregate nameplate capacity not later than June 30, 2027” with a minimum for individual solicitations set to 400 MW.
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Vineyard Wind contractor expands US operations Offshore Construction Associates (OCA) is expanding its US operations in line with the agreed extension of an installation management services contract for the 804MW Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind project. The work will include both project engineering for array cables and permitting support for the export cable scope.
Baker Administration proposes $3.5 billion Bill that could make Massachusetts the leader in offshore wind The Massachusetts Maritime Academy welcomed Gov. Charlie Baker Tuesday afternoon, along with Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, and other state energy officials to talk about a $3.5 billion bill to revitalize Massachusetts in a post-pandemic world.
Massachusetts Advances Two Major Offshore Wind Projects On May 25th, Massachusetts utilities advanced two large offshore wind projects , fleshing out the growing network of planned turbines along the East Coast that could slash the region’s carbon emissions. Electric utilities filed long-term plans with the state Department of Public Utilities to procure power from the two projects, which collectively represent the state’s largest offshore wind venture, officials said yesterday. The facilities — Commonwealth Wind and Mayflower Wind — would together add 1,600 megawatts of carbon-free power to New England’s power grid, enough to offset about 2.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year, said Beth Card, secretary of energy and environmental affairs for the state. |
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Sign Up for BFIT's Renewable Energy/Engineering Technology Associates Degree Fall 2022! |
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Offshore Wind Technician Certificate with ACE MV |
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UMass Amherst Offshore Wind Professional Certificate |
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 | The University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Department of Environmental Conservation, in association with the Clean Energy Extension, offers an online professional certificate in offshore wind, designed for professionals and graduate students seeking to up-skill and broaden their knowledge to prepare for the workforce needs of the offshore wind industry.
The student cohort is growing every semester, with students and alumni representing the industry in early and mid-career positions with Avangrid Renewables, Equinor, Mayflower Wind, Wood Thilsted, ArcVera Renewables, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, National Grid, Oceana, several state government offices, and many others.
Applications Now Open for UMass Offshore Wind Career Access Scholarship
Apply now for the second round of Offshore Wind Career Access Scholarship! With support from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the UMass Clean Energy Extension is offering full-tuition scholarships worth $6,000 for its Offshore Wind Professional Certificate program. The scholarship serves students who have completed a bachelor’s degree and are from diverse backgrounds. Students will also receive one-on-one support getting internships or jobs. Learn more and apply here now through July 8th for the Fall Semester! |
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 | US Offshore Wind 2022 In-Person Conference by Reuters Events will be held in person from July 18-19, 2022 in Boston's Hynes Convention Center. The event is expected to host more than 1000 people and their mission is to accelerate the development of the existing project pipeline and unleash new development areas on the East and West Coasts. The US offshore wind industry boom, projected to generate nearly 35 GW of power in eight East and West Coast states by 2030, presents a $70 billion CAPEX revenue opportunity to businesses in the U.S. some key themes that will be reoccurring throughout the event includes: siting, permitting, leasing, supply chain, ports infrastructure, grid integration, policy, markets, construction and installation, project execution, marine logistics and vessels. More information here |
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 | | Offshore WINDPOWER 2022 Conference & Exhibition will be held in October from the 18th - 20th in Providence, Rhode Island. American Clean Power (ACP) is hosting the Offshore WINDPOWER 2022 Conference & Exhibition. ACP’s Offshore WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition has cultivated a dedicated and thriving global community of top developers and experts. As more steel goes in the water, this event will only continue to grow in value and scope. More information here |
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Join the MA Offshore Wind Supply Chain Directory! |
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 | | The Massachusetts Offshore Wind Supply Chain Directory is the go-to listing of companies, organizations, and institutions that offer services, skills, and products to the growing offshore wind industry in Massachusetts and the region. Instructions on how to create your listing, as well as frequently asked questions, can be found here. Don't miss this opportunity to list your company today! |
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New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal
The U.S.'s first purpose-built port for offshore wind |
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 | Located in America's #1 fishing port, the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal is a 29-acre facility aimed at accelerating the success of the offshore wind industry in Massachusetts and the region. The terminal features:- The highest uniform load capacity cargo facility quayside on the East Coast, capable of supporting a 1,350 metric ton crane lifting a 500 metric ton load at a 30-meter radius along the entire 1,000-foot (305-meter) new bulkhead
- The ability to sustain uniform loads of 4,100 pounds per square foot (20 metric tons per square meter) and concentrated loads of up to 20,485 pounds per square foot (100 metric tons per square meter) over 21 acres of the main Terminal site
- A 300- foot wide navigational channel dredged to -30 feet MLLW
- No overhead restrictions
- Work and security level lighting allows for around-the-clock activities within the Designated Port Area
- Ship-to-shore power outlets along the bulkhead
- Expandable electrical system, including a 3,000 amp, 480/277V, 3 phase, 4 wire system
- State-of-the-art vega sector lights installed along the hurricane barrier to enhance vessel navigation
Strategically positioned to support import and export trade, the Port of New Bedford is just 20 nautical miles (32 km) from the Cape Cod shipping canal, 83 nautical miles (134 km) south of Boston, and 166 nautical miles (267 km) north of New York.
For more information on the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, contact offshorewind@masscec.com. Back to Table of Contents |
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Offshore Wind Career Pathway Maps on CleanEnergyEducation.org |
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Check out MassCEC's clean energy workforce webpage, CleanEnergyEducation.org, to view our career pathway maps for offshore wind. |
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Massachusetts Offshore Wind Ports and Training Tour: South Coast Sites |
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 | Join us for a virtual tour of port sites on Massachusetts' South Coast that are ideally-situated for offshore wind.
The tour also includes a stop at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, home of the nation's first GWO-certified Basic Safety Training program for offshore wind. |
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| About MassCEC The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) is a state economic development agency dedicated to accelerating the growth of the clean energy sector across the Commonwealth to spur job creation, deliver statewide environmental benefits, and secure long-term economic growth for the people of Massachusetts. MassCEC’s Offshore Wind strategy centers around accelerating the responsible development of offshore wind projects and increasing the role of Massachusetts companies, institutions, and workers in the offshore wind industry. |
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Connect With Us
offshorewind@masscec.com |
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