Skipjack Wind Farm

{{Infobox power station

| name = Skipjack

| name_official =

| image =

| image_size =

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| location_map =

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| coordinates = {{coord|38.565|-74.779|region:US-DE_type:landmark_dim:50000|display=inline,title}}

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| country = United States

| location = WEA OCS-A 0519
Outer Continental Shelf
Offshore Delaware

| status = Proposed

| construction_began =

| commissioned =

| decommissioned =

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| owner = Ørsted US Offshore Wind

| operator =

| employees =

| ps_units_operational =

| ps_units_manu_model = Haliade-X 12 MW

| wind_rotor_diameter = {{convert|720|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}

| wind_rated_speed =

| wind_farm_type = Offshore

| wind_offshore_depth =

| wind_offshore_distance = {{convert|19|mi}}

| wind_site_area =

| ps_electrical_capacity = 966 MW

| ps_annual_generation =

| ps_electrical_cap_fac =

| website = [https://orsted.com/en/Our-business/Offshore-wind/Our-offshore-wind-farms Ørsted US Offshore Wind]

| extra =

}}

Skipjack is a 966 MW capacity off shore wind farm, proposed by Ørsted US Offshore Wind to be built on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Delaware, approximately {{convert|16.9|nmi|km mi}} from the coast opposite Fenwick Island.{{Cite web|url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/delaware/2018/10/25/delawares-offshore-wind-energy-maryland-offshore-wind-energy-ocean-city-delmarva/1458605002/|title=Delaware's involvement in offshore wind energy remains uncertain|first=Sara|last=Swann|date=October 25, 2018|website=Delmarva Daily Times}} It was originally projected that the project, which will provide power to Maryland, would be commissioned in 2022,{{Cite web|url=https://www.4coffshore.com/windfarms/United-States/skipjack-united-states-us4z.html|title=Skipjack - Offshore Wind Farm Project | 4C Offshore|website=www.4coffshore.com}}{{Cite web |title=Bureau of Ocean Energy Management |url=https://www.boem.gov/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=www.boem.gov}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/2019/11/19/changes-may-coming-wind-farms-sited-off-ocean-city-orsted-marwin-wind-farm-rick-meehan/4194443002/|title=Taller, more distant turbines put Ocean City offshore wind projects back under state review|first=Julia|last=Rentsch|date=November 19, 2019|website=Delmarva Daily Times}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.offshorewind.biz/2017/05/11/maryland-psc-gives-go-ahead-to-us-wind-deepwater-wind-projects/|title=Maryland PSC Gives Go-Ahead to US Wind, Deepwater Wind Projects|date=May 11, 2017|website=Offshore Wind}}{{Cite web |last=Howell |first=Jordan |date=2021-04-15 |title=This Coastal Delaware Wind Farm Awaits a 2026 Debut |url=https://delawaretoday.com/life-style/skipjack-wind-farm/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Delaware Today |language=en-US}} It is one of the wind farm projects providing wind power to Maryland, the others being MarWin and Momentum Wind.{{cite news|last=Milligan |first=Carley |date=January 23, 2019 |title=Maryland offshore wind developers look to partner with local businesses |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2019/01/23/maryland-offshore-wind-developers-look-to-partner.html |work=Baltimore Business Journal|access-date=April 23, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Cox|first=Erin|date=July 23, 2019| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/marylands-slow-going-offshore-wind-project-advances/2019/07/23/9df6a208-ad7d-11e9-a0c9-6d2d7818f3da_story.html| title = Maryland's slow-going offshore wind project advances| newspaper = The Washington Post}}

The initial phase would produce 120 MW. A second project phase was approved by Maryland regulators in December 2021 to have an additional 846 MW. Both will be developed together.{{Cite web |last=Fine |first=Ariana |date=2022-02-21 |title=Skipjack Wind 2 Chosen as Second Offshore Wind Project in MD |url=https://nawindpower.com/orsteds-skipjack-wind-2-chosen-as-marylands-second-offshore-wind-project |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=North American Windpower |language=en-US}} In January 2024, the developer "repositioned" the project, temporarily curtailing its construction.https://www.offshorewind.biz/2024/01/26/orsted-terminates-skipjack-wind-offtake-agreement-amid-challenging-market-conditions/

WEA

The project will be built in BOEM-designated Wind Energy Area (WEA) OCS-A 0519,{{Cite web|url=https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/delaware-activities|title=Delaware Activities | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management}} an area of {{convert|26,332|acre|ha}} approximately 16.9 nautical miles or {{convert|19.5|mi}} off the Delaware coast between Indian River Outlet opposite Fenwick Island, north of the Maryland WEA.

Infrastructure

Skipjack will use 10 GE Wind Energy Haliade-X 12 MW turbines, {{convert|853|ft|m}} feet tall with rotors {{convert|720|feet|metres|abbr=}} long (with blades each {{convert|351|feet|meters|abbr=}} long), made in Cherbourg, France. The nacelles are also produced in France.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ge.com/reports/the-coast-with-the-most-two-new-u-s-offshore-wind-farms-will-use-the-worlds-most-powerful-turbines/|title=The Coast With The Most: Two New U.S. Offshore Wind Farms Will Use The World's Most Powerful Turbines|last=Kellner|first=Tomas|date=2019-09-19|website=GE Reports|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-28}}{{Cite web|last=Eichmann|first=Mark|date=October 2, 2019|url=https://whyy.org/articles/skyscrapers-in-the-sea-massive-wind-turbines-planned-off-delaware-coast/|title=Skyscrapers in the sea: Wind turbines, 853 feet tall, planned off Delaware coast|website=WHYY}}

Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind will partner with Tradepoint Atlantic, based in Port of Baltimore, to develop a logistics center to create a 50-acre staging center for on-land assembly, storage and loading out into deep waters.{{Cite web|last=Gheorghiu|first=Iulia|date=July 24, 2019|url=https://www.utilitydive.com/news/rsted-to-develop-offshore-wind-manufacturing-hub-to-service-east-coast/559369/|title=Ørsted to develop offshore wind manufacturing hub to service East Coast|website=Utility Dive}}

The Port of Paulsboro on the Delaware River in New Jersey could become the site for the production the monopile foundations for turbines.{{cite web |last = Stromsta |first = Karl-Erik |title = Orsted and Germany's EEW Plan Offshore Wind Factory in New Jersey |publisher = www.greentechmedia.com |date = July 3, 2019 |url = https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/orsted-and-germanys-eew-plan-offshore-wind-factory-in-new-jersey |access-date = December 3, 2019}}

Ørsted proposed using 1.5 acres of land in Fenwick Island State Park in Delaware as a transmission point,{{Cite web|last=Lauria|first=Maddy|date=October 2, 2019|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2019/10/02/delaware-parks-could-get-new-amenities-renewable-energy-facility/3833689002/|title=Offshore wind company wants to build on state parkland, offering upgrades in exchange|website=delawareonline}} but locals opposed park upgrades to be paid for by the project.

ORECs

The Maryland Public Service Commission has authorized ORECs (offshore wind renewable energy certificates) for both Skipjack and MarWin.{{cite press release |date=May 11, 2017 |url=http://www.psc.state.md.us/wp-content/uploads/PSC-Awards-ORECs-to-US-Wind-Skipjack.pdf |title=Maryland PSC Awards ORECS to Two Offshore Wind Developers |publisher=Maryland Public Service Commission}}{{Cite press release|url=https://www.psc.state.md.us/psc-awards-orecs-us-wind-skipjack-energy/|title=PSC Awards ORECs to US Wind, Skipjack Energy|date=May 11, 2017|publisher=Maryland Public Service Commission}}{{Cite web|url=https://energy.maryland.gov/Pages/Info/renewable/offshorewind.aspx|title=Offshore Wind|website=energy.maryland.gov}} ORECs for the second phase were approved in 2021.

Visibility from shore

Residents and business, particularly in Ocean City, Maryland, have raised concerns about the potential of negative impact of building a wind farm offshore, thus creating a landscape that could affect tourism.{{Cite web|url=https://mdcoastdispatch.com/2019/10/31/wind-turbine-size-changes-could-jeopardize-approvals/|title=10/31/2019 | Wind Turbine Size Changes Could Jeopardize Approvals; Agency Seeks PSC Review | News Ocean City MD|first=Shawn|last=Soper|date=October 31, 2019|website=News Ocean City Maryland Coast Dispatch Newspaper}}

The turbines have changed in size since the initial proposal by the predecessor of Orsted. They will be {{convert|853|feet|m|abbr=}} feet tall.