Monthly Archives: February 2021

On February 16, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order accepting an executed State Agreement Approach Study Agreement (Study Agreement) between PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM) and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJ BPU), pursuant to which PJM will solicit project proposals to expand or upgrade its transmission system to provide for the deliverability of 7,500 MW of offshore wind into New Jersey by 2035. New Jersey is the first state in the PJM region to use the State Agreement Approach, a supplementary transmission planning and cost allocation mechanism in PJMs Operating Agreement designed to meet states public policy needs.

Because two other coastal states in the PJM region, Maryland and Virginia, have adopted offshore wind targets as well, the Study Agreement may be precedent-setting, as utility commissions in those states work towards implementing their respective targets.

Under the State Agreement Approach, one or more state governmental entities in the PJM region authorized by their respective states may voluntarily agree to be responsible for the allocation of all costs of a proposed transmission expansion or enhancement that addresses state public policy requirements. Because the State Agreement Approach is designed to be a flexible mechanism, there is no pro forma service agreement. In its filing of the Study Agreement, PJM explained that the agreement is being used as a first step toward identifying a transmission project tailored to New Jerseys public policy goals.

The Study Agreement requires PJM to use its existing tariff process to convene a competitive proposal window to solicit transmission solutions, and provides notice that PJM will study and plan for New Jerseys public policy goals in the 2020-2021 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan cycle. Among other studies, PJM may perform analyses similar to a system impact or facilities study to assess the deliverability of offshore wind capacity at specific interconnection points.

The Study Agreement also establishes key dates and milestones, including: (1) PJM will endeavor to post preliminary recommendations from project proposals for the NJ BPU to consider by October 15, 2021; (2) PJM will endeavor to provide final transmission project recommendations to the NJ BPU on or about February 15, 2022, but in no event later than September 1, 2022; and (3) no later than 70 days after receiving PJMs final recommendations, the NJ BPU will enter into a term sheet to be filed with FERC. The term sheet will identify the project(s) selected by the NJ BPU, if any, as well as the designated developer(s) and cost allocation methods for such project(s).

Although PJM will make recommendations to the NJ BPU regarding cost-effective transmission enhancements or expansions for inclusion in the Regional Transmission Expansion Plan pursuant to the Study Agreement,, the NJ BPU is not required to select a project proposal submitted as part of the competitive proposal process. The State Agreement Approach allows the NJ BPU to select different proposed transmission enhancements or expansions for inclusion in the Regional Transmission Expansion Plan. As such, in the February 16 order, FERC acknowledged that the selection of any project, developer or cost allocation method may be the subject of subsequent filings by PJM.

A copy of the February 16 order can be found here.

Originally posted here:

FERC Accepts Study Agreement to Assess New Jersey Offshore Wind Deliverability - Lexology

Maritime and offshore classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) will class the first ever Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), seen as a key vessel for the development of the U.S. offshore wind industry.

With several gigawatts of offshore wind capacity to be installed along the U.S. East Coast in the next decade, access to Jones Act compliant WTIVs is of strategic importance to the U.S. offshore wind market. Currently, no such vessel exists.

Dominion Energy last year contracted Keppel AmFELS, a wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd, for the engineering, procurement and construction of the vessel, which is designed by NOV business unit GustoMSC.

The 472-foot vessel is designed by GustoMSC to handle turbine sizes of 12 megawatts or larger and will also be capable of the installation of foundations for turbines and other heavy lifts.

To be named Charybdis, the vessel will have accommodation for up to 119 crew and wind farm technicians. Seajacks will assist Dominion Energy with construction and operations oversight.

Matt Tremblay, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore said: "ABS is the ideal partner for a highly specialized wind turbine installation vessel such as this for the U.S. market. Our extensive knowledge of U.S. regulations combined with offshore industry leadership means we are uniquely equipped to support this project and a range of other innovative vessels now being commissioned for U.S. wind farms. ABS is committed to playing a significant role in the safe development of the U.S. offshore wind industry."

"Dominion Energy is proud to be leading a consortium of respected industry participants in the construction of the first Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel, which will provide significant American jobs, and provide a reliable, home-grown installation solution with the capacity to handle the next generation of large-scale, highly-efficient turbine technologies, said Mark D. Mitchell, Senior Vice President of Project Construction. "This will better enable the offshore wind industry to bring clean, renewable energy to customers in the U.S."

Dominion Energy plans to build themassive 2,640-MW Dominion Energy Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project. For this, the company last year signed a conditional contract with Siemens Gamesa, to deploy Siemens Gamesa's latest offshore wind turbine variant of up to 15 MW capacity with a 222-meter rotor.

The wind turbine deal is subject to certain conditions including Dominion Energys final investment decision, governmental permitting, and other required approvals.

Back to the Charybdis, Seajacks Chief Executive Blair Ainslie said: "This next-generation turbine installation jack-up vessel is vital to the safe and cost-effective deployment of offshore wind energy in the U.S. Seajacks operates a fleet of offshore installation jack-ups in Europe and Asia and is looking forward to developing the offshore wind supply chain in the U.S. with our partners.

Apart from ABS' role with Charybdis class, it is worth noting that the first U.S flagged Jones Act offshore wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) ever ordered will be built to ABS Class.

ABS has also issued AIPsfor two Jones Act SOVs to Vard and for a series of other wind support vessels from European designers.

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First Ever Jones Act Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel to be Classed by ABS - Offshore Engineer

Offshore staff

BROWNSVILLE, Texas The first ever Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) will be built to ABS Class.

Keppel AmFELS is constructing the Charybdis for Dominion Energy. The 472-ft (144-m) long vessel is designed by GustoMSC to handle turbine sizes of 12 megawatt or larger. It will also be capable of installing foundations and performing other heavy lifts.

The vessel will have accommodation for up to 119 crew and wind farm technicians. Seajacks will assist Dominion Energy with construction and operations oversight.

The Charybdis is the latest vessel for the US offshore wind industry to be supported by ABS. The first US-flagged Jones Act offshore wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) ever ordered will be built to ABS Class.

The company has also issued AIPs for two Jones Act SOVs to Vard and for a series of other wind support vessels from European designers.

02/24/2021

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ABS to class first Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel - Offshore Oil and Gas Magazine

TOKYO -- Toshiba and General Electric are in talks to coproduce core equipment for offshore wind power systems, Nikkei has learned.

The companies are focusing their talks on a piece of equipment known as the nacelle, sources say. A nacelle houses a wind turbine's components, including the generator, gearbox, drive train and brake assembly.

A Toshiba plant in Yokohama would be used to build the nacelles.

The negotiations come as Japanese companies struggle in the wind power generation business, with some, including Hitachi, having retreated.

The Japanese government considers offshore wind farms a core renewable energy source. European and Chinese companies lead the global market.

Toshiba intends to increase its share in the fast-growing market through a tie-up with GE, which should help it to reduce costs.

The government is aiming to increase its electricity generation capacity of offshore wind farms from the current 20,000 kWh up to 45 million kWh by 2040. This is equivalent to the electricity generated by 30 nuclear power plants in the country.

Japanese companies were among the first to start making wind turbines. They now find themselves playing catch-up. The problem has been Japanese companies' inability to gain enough market share to operate profitably.

Besides Hitachi, Japan Steel Works has also left the market.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries does not make turbines but sells those made by other companies.

Offshore power plants need tens of thousands of parts made by a range of industries, and Japan's government is aiming to procure 60% of all necessary parts domestically by 2040.

This will require national players to start producing core equipment and to come together to form a reliable supply chain.

The Yokohama plant is run by Toshiba's Keihin Product Operations. It makes wind turbines as well as hydroelectric power generation turbines. If Toshiba and GE reach an agreement, the plant will also take up nacelle assembly.

Toshiba has been seeking opportunities in renewables as it retreats from the construction of coal-fired power plants.

GE represents a big opportunity as it controls the biggest share of the market for offshore and onshore wind power plants.

Toshiba and GE could announce details of an arrangement next month. The companies could also expand a partnership into the relatively profitable field of maintenance services for power generation equipment.

The companies have their eyes on Asian markets. By tieing up with Toshiba, GE would secure a production base in Japan, a country whose renewable market is on the cusp of explosive growth.

GE and Toshiba have also been partners in the nuclear power plant and thermal power plant businesses.

Japan's government is now encouraging companies to enter renewables by offering subsidies and tax incentives.

Due to growth expectations and government support, offshore wind farms are luring investors. Spain's Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, the top global player, next year will start operating a Taiwan factory with the capacity to build 100 wind turbines annually.

This would put it on the doorstep of the Japanese market.

It remains unclear whether Toshiba and GE can catch up with their cost-competitive rivals and expand their shares of Japan's renewables market.

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Toshiba and GE in talks to produce offshore wind power equipment - Nikkei Asia

A hiring wave is expected to hit the offshore wind sector as demand for offshore wind staff is expected to surge by the end of the decade, according to new research by Rystad Energy.

The Norway-based independent energy research firm estimates that offshore wind installed capacity could rise to 110 gigawatts (GW) by 2025 and 250 GW by 2030, requiring a number of skilled employees.

According to Rystad, the demand for offshore wind staff will triple by the end of the decade, surging to 868,000 full-time jobs from an estimated 297,000 in 2020. In fact, the hiring spree will already be visible in the middle of the decade, as jobs demand could reach about 589,000 in 2025.

Rystad looked at both direct jobs (related to development manufacturing, construction, installation, and the operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms) and indirect jobs (related to materials and services consumed, such as workers in steel plants supporting offshore wind turbines, electronics workers at companies supplying nacelle components, and staff of renewable energy regulatory institutions).

Construction and development (C&D) jobs are expected to account for most of the employment over the next decade, although its share of the total employment will decrease leading up to 2030. Operation and maintenance (O&M) jobs, contributing about 7% of the total offshore wind job count in 2020, will increase to about 12% in 2025. These jobs are expected to gain a larger share of total jobs as there is a rapid increase in offshore wind installed capacity.

C&D roles will still dominate, however, because a typical offshore wind farm spends 60-70% of its capex in the lead-up to its commissioning, which takes between one and three years, says Rystad.

Rystad estimates that Europe, Asia outside of China, and the Americas will drive the global jobs creation in the offshore wind sector.

Europe, which dominates the offshore wind installed capacity globally, could expect to see demand for jobs more than triple by 2030, from 110,000 jobs in 2020 to around 350,000, says Rystad. The expected growth will be especially noticeable over the next five years, as annual capacity additions in the region are increasing and the installed base is growing.

Asia, excluding China, will see a major jobs boost, most noticeable in the second half of this decade, as South Korea, Vietnam, Japan and Taiwan are expected to contribute significant offshore wind capacity. China, meanwhile, could see demand for jobs stagnate towards 2030, despite the current activity ramp-up.

In the Americas, the US will be a major driver for offshore wind deployment because of the ambitious plans to decarbonize the power sector by 50% by 2030 put forward by the current Democratic administration. We estimate that the US will have almost 15 GW of offshore wind installed capacity by 2030, with 30% coming from recent solicitations held by New York State. As we move towards 2030, demand for jobs is expected to be lifted further by other countries in the region, especially Brazil, which has several large projects expected to be commissioned around the turn of the decade.

Offshore oil and gas workers could benefit from some the work, due to the similar skill sets and training requirements. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused employment rates in the oil and gas industry to plummet, and Rystad believes that employment in this area will never return to the levels that we saw just a few years ago. Rystad notes that offshore wind could be a great opportunity to recover some of the talent lost during the oil and gas industry downturn, especially O&M, project development and engineering jobs.

Oil and gas workers will also benefit from this expected growth in offshore wind employment globally, as they share some skills sets and essential offshore knowledge. Offshore wind areas such as foundation manufacturing, offshore construction, project development, and O&M have been highly relevant to oil and gas operations, says Alexander Fltre, Rystad Energys Product Manager for Offshore Wind.

More of Rystad Energys research can be found here.

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Rystad: Offshore Wind Hiring Wave Coming gCaptain - gcaptain.com

It's going to be another unseasonably warm day for the central coast as high pressure aloft builds over the eastern Pacific and offshore flow continues. This means that most daytime highs will be reaching the 70s, with peak temperatures from the upper 60s to mid-70s along the coast and over inland valleys, and from the low to upper 70s over coastal valleys.

As a result of the offshore flow, expect mostly clear skies from the morning into the evening hours. Northeasterly winds will likely peak around 35 miles per hour across coastal valley locations and up to 25 mph along the coast, especially for west-facing beaches.

These conditions will remain fairly consistent through Wednesday when the eastern pacific high moves in a northward direction. By then, north to northwesterly winds will strengthen over the region and bring temperatures back to near-seasonal averages.

There remains to be no precipitation in the seven-day period and looking ahead to the first week of March, conditions will remain dry.

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Offshore flow, high pressure aloft will keep skies mostly clear and daytime highs above average Monday - KSBY San Luis Obispo News

Were getting new details about the United States first Jones Act-compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) seen as critical to developing the nations offshore wind industry.

We just learned that the newbuild vessel currently under construction at the Keppel AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas for Dominion Energy will be built to ABS class . The 472-foot vessel is designed by GustoMSC to handle turbines of 12 megawatt or greater. It will also be capable of the installation of foundations for turbines and other heavy lifts.

UK-based Seajacks will assist Dominion Energy with construction and operations oversight, while Keppel AmFELS is undertaking the engineering and procurement.

Dominion Energy is in the process of developing the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, a 2,600 megawatt commercial offshore wind farm that is set to become the largest in the United States. Part of the project includes a 12MW pilot project, 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, that is expected to become the first in U.S. federal waters.

Dominion Energy is proud to be leading a consortium of respected industry participants in the construction of the first Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel, which will provide significant American jobs, and provide a reliable, home-grown installation solution with the capacity to handle the next generation of large-scale, highly-efficient turbine technologies, said Mark D. Mitchell, Senior Vice President of Project Construction. This will better enable the offshore wind industry to bring clean, renewable energy to customers in the U.S.

The first Jones Act-compliant wind turbine installation vessel, to be named Charybdis, will be the latest for the U.S. offshore wind industry to be supported by ABS. The first U.S flagged Jones Act offshore wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) ever ordered will be built to ABS Class. It has also issued AIPs for two Jones Act SOVs to Vard and for a series of other wind support vessels from European designers.

ABS is the ideal partner for a highly specialized wind turbine installation vessel such as this for the U.S. market. Our extensive knowledge of U.S. regulations combined with offshore industry leadership means we are uniquely equipped to support this project and a range of other innovative vessels now being commissioned for U.S. wind farms. ABS is committed to playing a significant role in the safe development of the U.S. offshore wind industry, said Matt Tremblay, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore.

Construction for the vessel got underway back in December with a keel laying ceremony at Keppel AmFELS. The vessels hull and infrastructure will utilize more than 14,000 tons of domestic steel, with nearly 10,000 tons sourced from Alabama and West Virginia suppliers. With a hull length of 472 feet, a width of 184 feet and a depth of 38 feet, it will be one of the biggest vessels of its kind in the world. Huisman will fabricate the main crane, which will have a boom length of 426 feet and an expected lifting capacity of 2,200 tons. It will also include accommodations for up to 119 crew and wind farm technicians.

Overall project costs for the vessel are estimated to be about $500 million.

We are pleased to be able to build the largest wind turbine installation vessel in the U.S. for Dominion Energy and support the growing offshore wind industry, said Mohamed Sahlan, President of Keppel AmFELS. Keppel AmFELS has a solid track record and capabilities in a wide range of offshore vessels and we are also able to leverage the experience of our parent company, Keppel Offshore & Marine, in offshore renewables to provide a compelling construction solution for this milestone project.

Development of the WTIV and others like it are seen as critical for the construction of a growing number of offshore wind projects planned for the U.S. East Coast. A recent amendment to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) affirming that the OCSLA does in fact apply to offshore wind and other renewable energy development, including its application of the Jones Act which requires goods shipped between U.S. ports to be transported on ships that are built, owned and operated by U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has since ended long-standing ambiguity over the issue by expressly ruling that Jones Act applies to transportation of merchandise from a U.S. port to a location on the outer continental shelf for the purpose of the development and production of wind energy.

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New Details on First Jones Act-Compliant Wind Turbine Installation Vessel gCaptain - gcaptain.com

Floating offshore wind, despite the currently low installed capacity, could be the next frontier in wind power development in the Asia Pacific with almost limitless potential, says Wood Mackenzie, adding the total investment in the sector could be worth US$58 billion, counting the projects in the early planning stages.

"A significant market for floating offshore [wind] technology is emerging in Asia. Developers in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have announced plans to develop key demonstration projects, although the scale of deployment is still limited compared to conventional fixed-bottom technology."

Floating offshore wind accounts for just 6% capacity of the 26 gigawatts (GW) of new offshore capacity expected in the current decade in the Asia Pacific excluding China.

Wood Mackenzie's principal analyst Robert Liew said: "This 1.56 GW of new floating offshore capacity in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan will require investments of at least US$8 billion. If we consider the additional 9 GW project pipeline in early planning stages, total investment opportunities could be worth up to US$58 billion."

Maintaining power supply is a key challenge for these markets as legacy thermal plants reach the end of their project life and opportunity for new-build coal and nuclear are severely limited, Wood Mackenzie said. The three Northeast Asian markets face projected thermal and nuclear capacity retirements totaling 89 GW from 2020 to 2030.

Liew said: Governments in these markets are increasingly looking to renewables to fill the supply gap, but due to land constraints, scalable options are limited. Floating offshore wind is starting to gain more attention but the high cost remains a major barrier to widespread adoption of this technology.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of floating offshore wind, prices must come down significantly to at least be competitive with new-build gas power.

With a limited track record and only 21 megawatts (MW) of operating floating demonstration units, there is high uncertainty over project costs in Asia Pacific markets. For now, the Japanese government estimates that current capex costs of floating offshore can be as high as U$10 million per MW but could be commercially feasible if brought down to US$4 million/MW, compared to grounded offshore capex cost of US$2-3 million/MW and average Asia Pacific onshore wind capex cost of US$1.5 million/MW by 2030.

Capex to decline 40%

Wood Mackenzie expects the average capex costs of floating offshore wind farm in the three pioneering markets to decline by around 40% to US$2.6 - 4 million per MW by 2025-2030.

Despite the cost challenge, Woodmac says, governments in Japan and South Korea have set out support policies for the sector.

In Japan, a feed-in tariff is available for floating projects compared to bottom-fixed offshore projects which are moving to price discovery through auctions.

A small-scale 22-MW floating wind auction in the Goto Islands is also testing whether prices can be lower than the current feed-in tariff. In South Korea, floating offshore projects can be awarded higher weightings of renewable energy certificates depending on the distance between interconnection facilities, Woodmac says.

Liew said: With enough government support, developers will be more willing to bet on floating wind. Building a firm pipeline of floating projects will give the sector more forward visibility, which in turn will attract even more investors.

Part of the buy-in from the government is the long-term vision to establish a domestic floating offshore wind supply chain that will benefit the local economy. Floating offshore requires more vessels to install turbines compared to mainstream grounded offshore projects. This is attractive to governments that historically had a large domestic maritime sector.

"The Japanese and Korean governments are keen to establish a floating offshore supply chain hub for the region and potential future exports to other markets. This could also contribute significantly to lowering costs, Liew added.

He said: Floating offshore represents perhaps the largest frontier for wind power in Asia Pacific in the long-term. There is significant future upside as almost all markets in Asia Pacific have coastlines and floating offshore can unlock wind resources near coastal cities even in low wind speed areas. Despite the limited scale today, floating offshore wind offers almost limitless potential.

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Floating Offshore Wind: The Next Big Thing for Asia Pacific? - Offshore Engineer

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the government is drawing up plans to modify the way offshore wind farms connect to the grid.

Johnson said the government is in the process of developing the necessary regulatory changes to enable projects to join the grid in a more co-ordinated way.

BEIS is currently leading a review into the current OFTO system, which connects projects to shore via individual radial links.

The remarks came during Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday after the Conservative MP for North Norfolk Duncan Baker sought clarity on the progress of the review.

Baker said a judicial review that quashed consent for Vattenfalls 1.8GW Norfolk Vanguard project last week on the grounds that cumulative onshore impacts had not been considered, urgently showed the need for a new approach.

If the UK is to become the Saudi Arabia of wind powerthen the current piecemeal and environmentally damaging method of connecting projects to the grid is holding us back, Baker said.

We need legal and regulatory reform now.

Vattenfall said it is encouraging that the Prime Minister has said the Government is developing the necessary regulatory changes.

"Vattenfall has long been calling for better grid coordination for offshore wind infrastructure," a spokesperson said.

The developer warned that technological and regulatory constraints make it unlikely large-scale co-ordination will be rolled out in this decade.

We can't postpone investment in offshore wind development - with all the jobs and community benefits that investment provides - for that long. It's simply not an option in the fight against climate change, nor for the people of this country who have been promised a green industrial revolution."

The spokesperson added that even with greater coordination the UK will still need to build new onshore substations and either underground cables or overhead pylons to transport electricity from projects.

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UK government to change offshore connection regime - reNEWS

LONDON, Feb. 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report Darkness at Sunrise: UK Care Homes Shifting Profits Offshore? by the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability & Research (CICTAR) and Public Services International (PSI) reveals that UK care homes shift profits offshore while charging thousands of residents 200 in daily fees. Ownership through tax havens enables the more than 60 care homes to report losses in the UK while foreign investors make a killing in a sector subsidised by public spending. COVID-related deaths in UK care homes have exposed the need for major reforms which must include greater financial transparency to ensure that care is prioritised over profit.

Operated by Sunrise Senior Living, Gracewell Healthcare and Signature Senior Lifestyle, the care homes are controlled by PSP Investments, a Canadian government pension fund. The report exposes a detailed case study of a much broader problem. The UKs care sector is dominated by private equity firms with a track record of aggressive tax dodging.

Christina McAnea, general secretary of UNISON, the UKs largest union, said, The scale of tax avoidance across the UK care home sector is deeply concerning. Urgent reform is needed to raise standards and ensure companies are accountable. The entire care system has been underfunded and understaffed for too long. Unscrupulous employers have been allowed to exploit workers and put residents at risk, while taking the profits and shifting them offshore.

Welltower, a major US real estate company, is a minority partner in these UK care homes and owns over 120 UK care homes in total. In 2019, Welltowers share of profit on these homes was an estimated 64 million. Profits reported to shareholders, reveal what is usually kept hidden, said Jason Ward, the author of the report. Complex corporate structures using tax havens artificially create losses to avoid UK tax.

In Canada, the pension fund owns the second largest care home operator which faces scrutiny for COVID-19 deaths and growing calls for public ownership. Mark Hancock, National President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which has 65,000 members working in long term care said, Aggressive tax avoidance adds insult to injury, and shows profits are prioritized over improving care. This is an embarrassment for Canadians.

Story continues

Eva Joly, an ex-Member of the European Parliament and ICRICT commissioner said, "This important report raises critical questions about how the care sector is funded and regulated, not just in the UK, but across the EU and globally. The use of Luxembourg is particularly telling, given the recent revelations about that tax haven at the heart of Europe.

https://cictar.org/

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UK Care Homes Shift Profits Offshore According to Report - Yahoo Sports