Michael Dwyer
/ AP
Originally published on May 11, 2021 4:00 pm
The U.S. Interior Department Tuesday approved the country's first large-scale offshore wind project, a final hurdle that reverses course from the Trump administration and sets the stage for a major shift in the energy landscape.
This "is a significant milestone in our efforts to build a clean and more equitable energy future while addressing the climate emergency," Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said during a press briefing. She said an expansion of wind energy is critical to President Biden's ambitious climate goals to make the electricity sector carbon-neutral.
The $2.8 billion project, known as Vineyard Wind 1, will consist of 62 turbines spaced about a mile apart, each standing about 837 feet above the water's surface. Cables buried beneath the ocean floor will connect the power from these turbines with the New England grid onshore.