New Jersey Board of Public Utilities opens 1,100 MW solicitation for offshore wind

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) Monday opened an application window for 1,100 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind capacity, the country’s largest single-state solicitation of offshore wind to date.

New Jersey has set a goal of 3,500 MW of offshore wind by 2030. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also recently requested that NJBPU open two additional 1,200 MW solicitations of offshore wind capacity, one in 2020 and one in 2022.

“In the span of just nine months, New Jersey has vaulted to the front of the pack in establishing this cutting-edge industry,” Gov. Murphy said. “We campaigned on rebuilding New Jersey’s reputation as a clean energy leader and that involves setting an aggressive timetable on offshore wind. Thanks to the board, today we took another enormous step toward realizing that goal with the largest single-state solicitation of offshore wind in the country.”

The order approving the solicitation allows developers seeking to build offshore wind facilities in federal waters to submit applications for approval. The application window begins on September 20 and closes on December 28. The board has said it intends to act on the applications by July 1, 2019.

“Today’s action marks an historic step in the implementation of Governor Murphy’s clean energy agenda,” NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso said. “Offshore wind energy will help drive down our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gases that cause climate change while creating jobs and providing a boost to the economy.”