The state of Massachusetts has selected Mayflower Wind, a joint venture between Shell New Energies and EDPR Offshore North America, to supply renewable energy produced from an 804MW offshore windfarm.
The company was able to outbid Vineyard Wind for the project, despite Vineyard Wind winning the first major bid for offshore wind in the US with the 800MW Vineyard Wind 1 windfarm. In total, the two windfarms will provide enough energy to meet 12% of Massachusetts’s yearly energy needs.
Mayflower Wind estimates that the project will be able to provide energy at lower prices than its original price cap of $84.23 per megawatt hour (MWh) in the long-term. The company also states that the project will be able to reduce the electricity rate by $3.7bn over the course of the contract, create 10,000 jobs in the state and reduce CO2 emissions by 1.7 million tonnes a year.
Mayflower Wind president John Hartnett said: “Development of the Mayflower Wind project will contribute to the building of an offshore supply chain on the South Coast and across the Commonwealth, helping to launch a new clean, safe and innovative sector of our economy. We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to ensure a safe and successful project.”