Skipjack Wind to be Repositioned for Future Offtake Opportunities
January 25, 2024 – Annapolis, MD – Ørsted today announced that it will reposition Skipjack Wind, a combined 966-megawatt project in development off the coast of the Delmarva peninsula, for future offtake opportunities. Following consultation with the State of Maryland, Ørsted has withdrawn from the Maryland Public Service Commission Orders approving the Skipjack 1 and 2 projects. Ørsted intends to continue advancing development and permitting for the combined project, including submission of its updated Construction and Operations Plan to BOEM.
This action follows an extensive review of the Orders. The payment amounts for ORECs set forth in the Orders are no longer commercially viable because of today’s challenging market conditions, including inflation, high interest rates and supply chain constraints.
“Today’s announcement affirms our commitment to developing value creating projects and represents an opportunity to reposition Skipjack Wind, located in a strategically valuable federal lease area and with a state that is highly supportive of offshore wind, for future offtake opportunities,” said David Hardy, Group Executive Vice President and CEO Americas at Ørsted. “As we explore the best path forward for Skipjack Wind, we anticipate several opportunities and will evaluate each as it becomes available. We will continue to advance Skipjack Wind’s development milestones, including its Construction and Operations Plan.”
“We are grateful to Governor Moore, the Maryland Public Service Commission and the State of Maryland for their steadfast partnership and support as we have worked diligently to develop Skipjack Wind under challenging economic circumstances,” Hardy continued. “We fully support the state’s leadership as they pursue their ambitious offshore wind goal. We also thank the State of Delaware for its collaborative approach to supporting Skipjack Wind’s development.”
While macroeconomic factors are impacting offshore wind projects globally, Ørsted continues to advance, build and invest into U.S. several projects. With its partner, Eversource, its South Fork Wind project serving New York is set to reach full operations in the weeks ahead as the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in America. Revolution Wind, also with Eversource and delivering power to Rhode Island and Connecticut, has already started construction activities. Sunrise Wind, also serving New York, was re-submitted today in the New York 4 solicitation, which, if awarded, would improve the project’s financial position and advance the most mature offshore wind project in the state’s pipeline.
In addition, Ørsted maintains valuable uncontracted seabed along the East Coast that is strategically positioned to create value and continue growing the U.S. industry. In the Northeast, approximately 10 GW of offshore wind energy is expected to be awarded this year, and the Mid-Atlantic has additional solicitations expected in the next 1 – 2 years.
About Ørsted
A global clean energy leader, Ørsted develops, constructs, and operates offshore and land-based wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants. Ørsted was the first energy company in the world with a science-based net-zero emissions target as validated by the Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative and is recognized as the world’s most sustainable energy developer in the Corporate Knights Global 100 index.
In the United States, the company has approximately 700 employees and a portfolio of clean energy assets and partnerships that includes offshore wind energy, land-based wind energy, solar, battery storage and e-fuels. Ørsted is a U.S. leader in offshore wind energy with approximately 3 gigawatts in development and operates America’s first offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Block Island. Ørsted has a total U.S. land-based capacity of 5 gigawatts across wind, solar, storage technologies and e-fuels. To learn more about the Ørsted U.S. business, visit us.orsted.com or follow the company on Twitter (@OrstedUS), Instagram, and Facebook.
Media Contact
Henry Fawell
Campfire Communications
+1 410-212-8468
This action follows an extensive review of the Orders. The payment amounts for ORECs set forth in the Orders are no longer commercially viable because of today’s challenging market conditions, including inflation, high interest rates and supply chain constraints.
“Today’s announcement affirms our commitment to developing value creating projects and represents an opportunity to reposition Skipjack Wind, located in a strategically valuable federal lease area and with a state that is highly supportive of offshore wind, for future offtake opportunities,” said David Hardy, Group Executive Vice President and CEO Americas at Ørsted. “As we explore the best path forward for Skipjack Wind, we anticipate several opportunities and will evaluate each as it becomes available. We will continue to advance Skipjack Wind’s development milestones, including its Construction and Operations Plan.”
“We are grateful to Governor Moore, the Maryland Public Service Commission and the State of Maryland for their steadfast partnership and support as we have worked diligently to develop Skipjack Wind under challenging economic circumstances,” Hardy continued. “We fully support the state’s leadership as they pursue their ambitious offshore wind goal. We also thank the State of Delaware for its collaborative approach to supporting Skipjack Wind’s development.”
While macroeconomic factors are impacting offshore wind projects globally, Ørsted continues to advance, build and invest into U.S. several projects. With its partner, Eversource, its South Fork Wind project serving New York is set to reach full operations in the weeks ahead as the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in America. Revolution Wind, also with Eversource and delivering power to Rhode Island and Connecticut, has already started construction activities. Sunrise Wind, also serving New York, was re-submitted today in the New York 4 solicitation, which, if awarded, would improve the project’s financial position and advance the most mature offshore wind project in the state’s pipeline.
In addition, Ørsted maintains valuable uncontracted seabed along the East Coast that is strategically positioned to create value and continue growing the U.S. industry. In the Northeast, approximately 10 GW of offshore wind energy is expected to be awarded this year, and the Mid-Atlantic has additional solicitations expected in the next 1 – 2 years.
About Ørsted
A global clean energy leader, Ørsted develops, constructs, and operates offshore and land-based wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants. Ørsted was the first energy company in the world with a science-based net-zero emissions target as validated by the Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative and is recognized as the world’s most sustainable energy developer in the Corporate Knights Global 100 index.
In the United States, the company has approximately 700 employees and a portfolio of clean energy assets and partnerships that includes offshore wind energy, land-based wind energy, solar, battery storage and e-fuels. Ørsted is a U.S. leader in offshore wind energy with approximately 3 gigawatts in development and operates America’s first offshore wind farm, located off the coast of Block Island. Ørsted has a total U.S. land-based capacity of 5 gigawatts across wind, solar, storage technologies and e-fuels. To learn more about the Ørsted U.S. business, visit us.orsted.com or follow the company on Twitter (@OrstedUS), Instagram, and Facebook.
Media Contact
Henry Fawell
Campfire Communications
+1 410-212-8468