A team of marine scientists from the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point campus have begun working on a study assessing the impact of offshore wind farms and their construction on native ocean ecosystems.
The researchers, led by Department of Marine Sciences head and professor, J. Evan Ward, received a $1.25 million grant in November 2023 from Danish company Ørsted, a global leader in wind-energy initiatives. The focus of this research surrounds Ørsted’s “Revolution Wind” project, which began construction in Aug. 2024 after its initial 2017 proposal.
Writing from the deck of Avery Point’s foremost research vessel, the R/V CT, on its voyage to the site of the future wind farm, Professor Ward said the fact-finding mission on Revolution Wind, located 32 miles southwest of the Connecticut coast, is beginning to take shape.
“We are currently working at the Revolution Wind site and will be doing so for the next couple of years,” said Ward. “Our research endeavors have just begun… so unfortunately, we do not have much to report.”
Revolution Wind, which erected its first turbine in the Long Island Sound mere weeks ago, is a partnership between Ørsted and energy company Eversource. Ørsted and Eversource have worked with various other state and local institutions, including Mystic Aquarium, to research offshore wind.
According to an Aug. 20 Ørsted Press Release, “Revolution Wind will deliver 304 megawatts of clean, affordable offshore wind power to Connecticut and another 400 megawatts to Rhode Island, powering more than 350,000 New England homes.” The wind farm is scheduled to be fully operational and servicing residents by 2025.
The wind-power initiative has received the express support of both Connecticut and Rhode Island state governors, with Connecticut’s Ned Lamont stating, “The completion of this first turbine represents a milestone as we work towards decarbonizing our electric grid while also creating new, good-paying jobs in this growing sector for Connecticut residents.”
Although the construction and ecosystem analysis of Revolution Wind has just commenced, Ørsted and its partner institutions are looking to expand.
“Ørsted’s proposed 1,184-megawatt Starboard Wind project would deliver clean and reliable offshore wind power to Connecticut at stable and predictable pricing for decades,” stated the wind-energy company.
Pending the CT state government’s approval of the larger Starboard Wind, Ørsted has committed an additional $2.5 million to the Avery Point campus, as well as $1.5 million to Southern Connecticut State University, for the advancement of further research on the interaction between offshore turbines and aquatic life.
The implications of these sustainable-energy projects extend past solely their megawatt production and have been credited with being a positive force in the “green economy” of the future. Along with their inquiries into the natural science of wind farm technology, Ørsted has expressed an interest in funding a social scientific analysis of the impacts their projects may have on local economies and society at large.
Avery Point professor Nathaniel Trumbull of UConn’s Department of Geography, Sustainability, Community and Urban Studies has been tasked with assessing the effect Revolution Wind and other initiatives may have on workforce development. Ørsted’s official press releases claim its Starboard Wind project will produce over 800 full-time positions for Connecticut workers, but the true outcome of Ørsted’s labors has yet to be determined. According to Ørsted spokesperson Justin May, Revolution Wind has created approximately 1200 jobs across Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Correction: This article was updated on Sept. 15, 2024 to reflect Ørsted and Eversource’s partnership and clarify Ørsted’s expansion.
Update: This article was updated on Sept. 15, 2024 to include the number of positions for Starboard Wind and Revolution Wind.