Con Edison Transmission plans offshore wind project in New Jersey
Con Edison Transmission is looking to build an offshore transmission network to deliver wind power from multiple generators at sea.
The proposed line, called Clean Link New Jersey, will be designed with minimal impact on local communities, marine life, and views along the Garden State’s shoreline.
Clean Link New Jersey would connect 2.4 gigawatts of future offshore wind capacity to the grid’s high-voltage onshore backbone. It would install multiple subsea transmission cables through a defined “power corridor” to minimize the environmental impact.
Further, the proposed network is flexible and modular, which would allow various offshore wind projects to plug in as they become ready to generate.
“Clean Link New Jersey will advance the Garden State’s clean energy future, providing reliable energy delivery of offshore wind generation,” Stuart Nachmias, president and CEO of Con Edison Transmission, said. “As a successful independent transmission developer, we understand that the transition to a clean energy future needs to be balanced with the needs of local communities. Our proposed project will provide good-paying jobs and economic opportunity, preserve the beauty of the Jersey shoreline, and
minimize disruption to New Jerseyans while helping achieve the State’s clean energy goals.”
For this project, Con Edison Transmission selected HVDC technology, which is less intrusive than AC and can be placed underground, resulting in a smaller project footprint and less disruption to the community. Clean Link New Jersey has the potential to decrease the reliance on must-run generation, which is predominately fossil-fuel generation, by as much as 42 percent. It also could reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions by up to 4 percent.
Offshore wind is a priority for the company, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison. The company is seeking to add 16.5 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity in the New York/New Jersey region by 2035.
