New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy signed into law a bill, expanding the definition of a ‘qualified offshore wind project’. This definition now includes an ‘open access offshore wind transmission facility’.
The definition also includes all related interconnection facilities and equipment in the Atlantic Ocean. These facilities are also connected to the electric transmission system in New Jersey, that are connected with a wind turbine electricity generation facility in the Atlantic Ocean.
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The new definition will enable these open access transmission facilities to be eligible for offshore wind renewable energy certificates (ORECs). The law has also changed the definition of an OREC.
OREC now represents the environmental characteristics equal to one megawatt hour of electric generation, as well as one megawatt of electric transmission transfer capability from a qualified offshore wind project.
What is more, one or more competitive solicitations are to take place for open access offshore wind transmission facilities and associated interconnection facilities. The solicitations will occur separately from any other solicitation for offshore wind turbine electricity generation facilities.
This legislation is believed to enable enhanced competition in future offshore wind solicitations. As a matter of fact, open-access transmission allows wind generators to plug into a system that delivers more energy with less risk while at the same time protecting the environment.