Avangrid Inc.’s New England Wind has become the eighth commercial-scale offshore wind project to gain approval under the Biden administration.

The U.S. Interior Department announced the project’s federal record of decision April 2. The move brings total offshore wind capacity approved by the current administration to more than 10 gigawatts (GW).

“Today, we celebrate the incredible progress being made toward achieving our goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. “The New England Wind project will help lower consumer costs, combat climate change, create jobs to support families, and ensure economic opportunities are accessible to all communities.” 

Located south of Martha’s Vineyard off of Massachusetts, the project consists of the 791-megawatt New England Wind 1 and the 1.87-GW New England Wind 2. Combined, the projects will produce enough energy to power nearly 1 million homes and businesses in the region, according to Avangrid, and bring $8 billion in direct investment to the region.

The project is expected to lower CO2 emissions by nearly 4 million U.S. tons, the equivalent of removing about 700,000 cars from roads each year, the company said.

Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra called the decision a “historic step toward the future of offshore wind in the United States.”

Offshore