Virginia receives OK on wind energy research lease

March 27, 2015 | By Jaclyn Brandt

Virginia will become the first state in the United States to receive a wind energy research lease in federal waters from the United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), according to Governor Terry McAuliffe.

The shore off Virginia Beach, Virginia. Credit: Rae K. Hauck/Wikimedia Commons

Gov. McAuliffe made the announcement this week, saying "Developing our clean energy resources is an essential element of building a new Virginia economy. With this research lease, Virginia is positioned to be the first state to build wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean and take the next step toward the clean energy economy we need to create jobs and lower energy costs now and into the future."

Virginia's location makes them a good candidate for offshore wind, and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones said he's like the state to become the east coast hub of future offshore wind energy development as well as "the supply chain that supports it."

"This research lease provides a tremendous opportunity to develop a level of expertise about offshore wind development previously unseen in the U.S. BOEM has been a tremendous partner with the Commonwealth on this project," Jones said, "and we look forward to continuing that relationship in the future."

The Commonwealth of Virginia applied for the 30-year lease in 2013. Dominion Virginia Power, who has been named as the designated lease operator, will construct and operate the Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Advancement Project (VOWTAP). The offshore wind demonstration project will be connected to the grid and will consist of two Alstom 6-megawatt turbines located around 24 nautical miles east of the Virginia Beach shoreline.

"The intent of VOWTAP is to demonstrate successful installation and generation of power 24 nautical miles offshore, validate the estimated wind resource potential in the lease area, identify inefficiencies and gaps in offshore wind development, and utilize a previously untested regulatory process established by BOEM," Gov. McAuliffe said in a statement.

The project is near Dominion's 113,000 acre Wind Energy Area, and will support the company's commercial wind projects. Officials said the lease will put Virginia in position to become a leader in renewable energy, as well as bring jobs to the area.

"The data collected under this research lease will help us understand the wind potential, weather and other conditions relevant to standing up wind power generation offshore Virginia," said BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper. "This data will be valuable not only to BOEM and DMME, but also to other government agencies, the offshore renewable energy industry, universities, environmental organizations and others."

BOEM's lease plan is a part of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, which calls for renewable energy to power more than 6 million homes by 2020.

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