Rhode Island Vitality has issued an RFP to safe an extra 1.2 GW of offshore wind to assist energy the state’s vitality wants.
That is the most important renewable vitality solicitation ever hunted for Rhode Island, the corporate says.
Rhode Island Vitality issued the RFP only a week after Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island signed a memorandum of understanding that might permit for a coordinated multi-state collection of offshore wind alternatives as every state seeks their very own procurements in an identical time-frame.
“Bringing extra reasonably priced offshore wind alternatives to Rhode Island and our area is a key precedence for us,” says Dave Bonenberger, president of Rhode Island Vitality.
“We all know there’s a way of urgency to get extra renewables on-line, and we consider this subsequent RFP will give builders a brand new, distinctive alternative to suppose creatively about how they’ll meet the state’s clear vitality and financial growth objectives, whereas balancing our prospects’ affordability wants,” he notes.
Rhode Island is residence to the nation’s first offshore wind farm, in waters off Block Island. Transmission upgrades are already below method for a second offshore wind challenge, referred to as Revolution Wind, which is able to deliver greater than 700 MW of vitality to Connecticut and Rhode Island.
“With a bigger capability out there, a streamlined utility course of, extra flexibility on contract durations, and the potential for multi-state coordination, we consider this solicitation may present better economies of scale for builders,” Bonenberger says. “We’re offering extra instruments to assist drive reasonably priced offshore wind alternatives to our state and we stay up for seeing the way it spurs innovation and aggressive pricing from offshore wind builders.”
Developer bids can embody proposals lower than or as much as roughly 1.2 GW. As a part of the solicitation, Rhode Island Vitality is in search of bids from potential builders to enter into long-term energy buy agreements for vitality and renewable vitality certificates from newly developed offshore wind tasks pursuant to the state’s Inexpensive Clear Vitality Safety (ACES) Act.
As outlined within the RFP, responding bids will likely be acquired by means of Jan. 31, 2024, with any profitable bidder(s) introduced in summer time 2024.
Full particulars of the RFP will likely be out there quickly at ricleanenergyrfp.com.
