Vol. 11
July 2, 2021
US Interior Secretary Joins Governor Northam, Senator Kaine to Announce New Actions to Advance Offshore Wind in Virginia
Governor Northam welcomed US Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to the Commonwealth to tour The Port of Virginia and discuss offshore wind industry supply chain opportunities together with US Senator Tim Kaine, and other federal, state, and local officials. Secretary Haaland announced that BOEM will initiate its environmental review for Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind commercial project located off the coast of Virginia Beach.
$500M Wind Turbine Installation Ship Will Make Two Stops Before Coming Home to Port in Hampton Roads
Dominion Energy's plans to install up to 180 turbines by the year 2026 will require some help. That’s where a 472-foot, $500 million wind turbine installation ship comes in. Financed by Dominion and currently under construction in Texas, the vessel named Charybdis is expected to be in service by 2023. But first, it will support the construction of two offshore wind farms farther up the East Coast.
Coastal Virginia Project Set To Be Next Biden Milestone for Offshore Wind
The Biden administration’s next offshore wind milestone is likely to involve Dominion’s commercial project. Officials with the utility say they are imminently expecting BOEM to release a notice of intent for their project, which would offer the public a chance for input on the utility’s plans and start the environmental review necessary for final approval.
Dominion Energy’s Wind Turbines Have Been More Efficient Than Expected
The automated controllers for the 253-foot blades on Dominion Energy Virginia’s two wind turbines, 27 miles off the Virginia Beach shore, had aimed them just a few degrees west of due north, so a 12-knot wind could turn them at a stately ten revolutions a minute.

What Dominion has found so far is that wind turbines are producing more power than expected, said Kevin Carroll, operations and maintenance director for the company’s offshore wind project.
Dominion Energy is Embracing Offshore Wind. It’ll Be a Break For the Chesapeake Bay Region.
In a remarkable turnaround, Dominion Energy seems to have achieved a transformation from a stubbornly fossil fuel entity to a leader in renewables such as offshore wind. Dominion has taken a unique step. In a move that gives itself credibility, it is constructing a $500 million vessel dubbed the “Charybdis” that will install huge wind turbines offshore.
New Bill Enabling US Coastal States to Get Half of Federal Offshore Wind Revenue
A new bill introduced in the US, called the Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies & Ecosystems Act, would enable the coastal states to get 50 percent of the revenue that the country makes from offshore wind farms built in federal waters.
Partnerships Amplify Velocity of Offshore Wind Innovation
The success of the US's offshore wind initiative will rely, in large part, on partnerships to accelerate research and development and establish new offshore systems in such an ambitious time frame. DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory is certain to be at the center of many of these efforts, contributing expertise in research related to offshore wind as well as building coalitions.
Upcoming Events
2021 IPF Conference - August 24-26
IPF, the largest offshore wind conference in the Western hemisphere, is being held in Richmond, VA! It brings together the global offshore wind supply chain and provides the latest in education, networking, and platforms to help you grow your business.