Massachusetts officials recently announced the selection of Vineyard Wind as the winning bid for its sizeable offshore wind procurement project. The Vineyard Wind proposal, in conjunction with the state’s largest utilities, will develop 800 megawatts of clean energy to be used by residents of the Cape and Islands, as well as other consumers in the state. The project will produce 6 percent of Massachusetts’ total annual electric load, which is enough to power more than half a million homes.

Vineyard Wind’s proposal, like those of its competitors, includes many critical benefits to the local community. In 2015, Vineyard Power formally partnered with Vineyard Wind through the signing of a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). As the first CBA signed in the United States, this partnership will ensure that the benefits of offshore wind remain local as it is developed. Additionally, Vineyard Wind was the only developer to start the necessary federal and state permitting, allowing them to set an early operational start date of 2021.

The next step for Massachusetts is to figure out the cost of the Vineyard Wind project. Contract negotiations are expected to finish within the next two months.

For more information, visit VineyardWind.com.