The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has awarded Ramboll Environ and team partners a contract to study untapped offshore wind energy potential within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The MassCEC study team includes Ramboll, Apex and other local engineering firms; the University of Massachusetts,Boston; Urban Harbors Institute; and Tufts University.
The MassCEC Offshore Wind Ports & Infrastructure Assessment encompasses a series of tasks, key among them an evaluation of underdeveloped waterfront sites in Massachusetts that could potentially be acquired and developed through private investment to support both near-term and long-term offshore wind activities.
The study is expected to yield a series of property assessments to guide offshore wind developers, manufacturers and private investors in their selection of sites to fabricate, manufacture, stage, deploy and service offshore wind components in Massachusetts and along the US East Coast.
“This is an exciting opportunity, since it literally positions us on the ground floor of a potentially huge transformation within the US energy industry. Ramboll has been a key force in the offshore wind industry in the Nordics and across Europe, so the experience and expertise that we bring to this project and to the industry generally are invaluable,” Project Principal David Lis said.
The untapped offshore wind energy potential in the US is estimated by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to be more than 2,000 gigawatts (GW), nearly double the nation’s annual electricity use.