The Senator for Rhode Island in the US has released a discussion draft of his bill to improve the offshore wind development process in the state. The discussion draft seeks feedback from federal, state and local agencies, as well as industries, developers and surrounding communities.
Reportedly, the Create Offshore Leadership and Livelihood Alignment by Operating Responsibly and Together for the Environment (COLLABORATE) Act aims to improve offshore wind development processes to increase the share of renewable energy in the state’s electricity grid. Specifically, the COLLABORATE Act would improve permitting, coordination and cooperation between agencies, developers and stakeholders. It would also establish a more rounded process for the transmission of electricity produced from offshore wind farms and boost support for fisheries and other potentially affected stakeholders.
In October 2023, Rhode Island Energy released a request for proposals (RfP) for 1.2 GW of offshore wind projects in line with the state’s initiatives to bring in more green power and reach its renewable energy targets. The round’s proposals will be completed by the end of January 2024, and the finalists will be revealed in the summer of 2024 as well.
REGlobal’s Views: Recently two major offshore wind developments in the US, one by Orsted and the other by Equinor and bp, have been cancelled by the respective companies due to challenges related to supply chains and increasing costs. Thus, enabling policies are imperative for the US to keep attracting developers and investors to its offshore wind market in order for it to reach its targets.