Three Bidders Answer New Jersey Offshore Wind Call

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has received bids from three developers in response to its solicitation for 1.1GW of offshore wind.

One of the bidders is Ørsted with its Ocean Wind project. NJBPU has not revealed who the other two bidders are.

However, according to the US media, the two other bids came from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Shell and EDF Renewables North America, and Equinor, the developer of the Boardwalk Wind project.

At a special board meeting on 20 December, the Board selected an economic consultant to assist in the evaluation of the applications and has sent the award recommendation to the New Jersey Department of the Treasury. Upon review and approval, the winning bidder and contract will be announced publicly.

Board staff, with the support of the consultant, will review and evaluate the applications before providing a recommendation to the Board. The review will consider the requirement under the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA) that applicants must demonstrate “positive net-economic and environmental benefits for the State.”

Guidance documents were provided to help developers calculate net economic benefits of proposed projects. A Board decision is anticipated in spring of 2019.

“The Board is extremely excited to receive these solicitations. New Jersey has regained its place as a leader when it comes to clean, renewable energy and offshore wind power is a major component in taking us there,” said NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso.

“We are one giant step closer to fulfilling Governor Phil Murphy’s vision of 3,500 MW of offshore wind power by 2030.”

Governor Murphy has also asked the Board to consider two additional solicitations of 1.2GW in 2020 and 2022.