The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has awarded contracts for two offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of 3.7GW in the American state.
Under the third offshore wind solicitation, the board has awarded 2.4GW of capacity to Invenergy and energyRE’s Leading Light Wind project and 1.34GW to Attentive Energy’s Attentive Energy Two project.
Together, the Leading Light Wind and Attentive Energy Two offshore wind projects are projected to bring economic benefits worth $6.8bn to New Jersey.
The offshore wind facilities will generate enough clean energy to meet the power consumption needs of 1.8 million households.
Besides, the Leading Light Wind and Attentive Energy Two projects are expected to create over 27,000 direct, indirect, and induced full-time equivalent job years.
Through the approvals, NJBPU aims to advance New Jersey’s progress toward a 100% clean energy economy by the year 2035.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said: “Today’s Third Solicitation awards are undeniable proof that the future of offshore wind in New Jersey is as strong as ever.
“From our talented workforce to our growing standing as a regional supply chain hub, our state remains an unparalleled location for the top developers in the world to plant their flags.
“In addition to bringing good-paying jobs and environmental benefits to the Garden State, these projects will significantly advance our pursuit of a 100% clean energy economy by 2035.”
Construction on the Leading Light Wind project is scheduled for 2028, and the operations in the full lease area are estimated to start in 2032. The offshore wind farm is expected to mitigate carbon emissions by 4.1 million tons each year over its full life.
The bid to develop the Leading Light Wind offshore wind project was submitted to NJBPU by Invenergy and energyRe in August 2023.
The Attentive Energy Two offshore wind project is a joint venture (JV) between TotalEnergies and Corio Generation. It is anticipated to deliver clean energy to over 600,000 households.
