The Benefit and Urgency of Planned Offshore Transmission: Reducing the Costs of and Barriers to Achieving U.S. Clean Energy Goals

Proactive transmission planning for future U.S. offshore wind generation developments will significantly reduce costs, increase grid reliability, minimize environmental and community impact, and help reach clean energy goals in a timely manner.

As offshore wind projects continue to be developed in response to clean energy goals across the US, there is an urgent need for states, federal agencies, and regional grid operators to act quickly to identify cost-effective transmission solutions to bring that power to shore and regional load centers.

The estimated benefits for over 100 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind generation include:

• At least $20 billion in transmission-related cost savings;
• 60–70% fewer shore crossings and necessary onshore transmissions upgrades;
• Approximately 2,000 (50%) fewer miles of marine transmission cable installations disturbing the seabed;
• More competitive procurement outcomes, increased consumer savings, enhanced reliability and grid resilience, and more timely investments in the local clean energy economy.

In a new report prepared by the Brattle Group, American Clean Power Association outlines the benefits of starting collaborative planning processes for offshore wind transmission today. The report, The Benefit and Urgency of Planned Offshore Transmission, highlights how proactive transmission planning for future U.S. offshore wind generation developments will significantly reduce costs, increase grid reliability, minimize environmental and community impact, and help reach clean energy goals in a timely manner.

The Benefit and Urgency of Planned Offshore Transmission was commissioned by the American Clean Power Association (ACP), the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), the Clean Air Task Force (CATF), GridLab, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The report was coauthored by Brattle Principal Johannes Pfeifenberger, Manager Joe DeLosa III, Associate Linquan Bai, and Cornelis Plet of DNV. It included contributions from an advisory panel of industry and policy experts.