A 35-person Spanish technology developer joins the European competition in the rapidly emerging global market for floating offshore wind energy turbine platforms. 

The utility-scale projects—the 800-MW, estimated $3-billion Vineyard Wind project off Massachusetts and the 132-MW, estimated $637-million South Fork project off New York—could begin to generate power this year, their developers say.

New England state reveals details of fourth round of developer bids—with new terms on cost hikes—while New Jersey launches expanded bid for ocean-to-shore power transmission options and permits first construction of 1.1-GW Orsted project.

But even with emerging cost risks, New York's latest wind procurement that seeks up to 4.6 GW attracted a record 100 proposals from six wind developers, including one that awarded Skanska USA on Feb. 7 a CM contract for a planned $250M assembly hub at a Brooklyn marine terminal.

Hornsea 2 includes 165 turbines and a 1.3-GW capacity. Largerr offshore wind energy projects are also in the works. 

Renewables added 6.62GW of utility scale power to US grid, up 11.5% from one year ago. Nine states set offshore wind targets totaling nearly 45 GW, with New York breaking ground on the second utility scale project in the country.

The U.S. will gain much clean energy capacity from scores of giant wind turbines set to be built miles out to sea, but how they link to onshore users and to each other remains the key challenge