As part of the state’s third offshore wind solicitation, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities received four applications for potential projects.

In March, the NJBPU opened the third solicitation seeking to award between 1.2 GW and 4 GW of offshore wind capacity. So far, the state has approved three offshore wind farms that are in varying phases of the federal review process – Ocean Wind 1 & 2 and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South.

Three of the applicants announced that they had submitted proposals in this solicitation, while one remains undisclosed.

Among the applicants was Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind — a 50/50 joint venture between Shell New Energies US LLC and EDF-RE Offshore Development LLC. While the company did not specify where exactly this unnamed project would be located, it noted that it has three offshore wind energy lease areas totaling more than 400 square miles under active development, including two located between 10 and 20 miles off the coast between Atlantic City and Barnegat Light, with a third lease area located in the New York Bight.

“Today’s bid submission marks the culmination of over four years of dedicated planning and research by the Atlantic Shores team to deliver the most economically, environmentally, and socially responsible renewable energy solution for New Jersey,” said Joris Veldhoven, Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind’s chief executive officer. “We are thrilled to be on the forefront of New Jersey’s clean energy transition, taking on a leading role in assisting the state to achieve its 11,000 MW offshore wind target.”

Two other projects would be further offshore than the current approved wind farms, which has been a major point of contention for shore community homeowners, along with the rash of marine mammal deaths that has inflamed the issue over the last year.

One of those projects is Community Offshore Wind, a joint venture between RWE and National Grid Ventures, which would be more than 35 miles off the coast of Long Beach Island. Project stakeholders say that the plan would provide up to 1.3 GW of new offshore wind capacity – enough to generate power for more than 500,000 homes, while creating more than 1,700 unique jobs in Jersey.

“We are proud to submit this bid for a new Community Offshore Wind project with the potential to transform New Jersey into a nation-leading clean energy development, training, and manufacturing hub,” said Doug Perkins, president and project director of Community Offshore Wind. “As the second-largest developer of offshore wind globally, RWE will leverage our longstanding expertise to maximize this project’s benefits to every worker, family and business in New Jersey. Our proposal is designed from start to finish to ensure this energy transition lifts up communities across the state and creates opportunity for all.”

And the third known bid applicant is Leading Light Wind, which is touting a U.S.-led partnership between Invenergy and energyRe with a project – 40 miles off the coast of LBI – that stakeholders project would power up to 1 million New Jersey homes and represent $3 billion in economic development benefits for the state.

“Leading Light Wind exemplifies Invenergy’s dedication to American-led energy innovation and our unmatched ability to increase U.S. competitiveness in the offshore wind market,” said Bryan Schueler, senior executive vice president and construction business leader for Invenergy. “With strong partners in New Jersey, we are committed to delivering the benefits of the clean energy economy to Garden State residents for generations to come.”

There is stiff opposition to offshore wind from a number of shore community businesses, homeowners, leaders, activists and stakeholders, as well as Republican lawmakers at the local, county, state and federal levels.

But Democratic legislative leaders unexpectedly raised concerns about the four new bids on Aug. 7.

“The Legislature has concerns about the BPU’s approach on the offshore wind projects. There are still many unanswered questions about the economic impact these projects will have on ratepayers as well as potential impacts to one of our state’s largest economic drivers, tourism at the shore,” Senate President Nick Scutari, D-22^nd District, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-19^th District, said in a statement. “The BPU should be able to share these impacts with the communities affected and the Legislature before moving forward with these new offshore wind projects.”

“We received four applications for the third offshore wind solicitation. Staff intends to release some high-level details, such as how many proposals were received, sometime after the application window has closed,” an NJBPU spokesperson told NJBIZ. “Following the Board’s action on the third solicitation, anticipated in early 2024, public versions of the applications will be posted on the Board’s website.”

“Governor Murphy understands the emerging offshore wind industry has the potential to generate billions of dollars and contribute thousands of new jobs to our economy,” Tyler Jones, deputy press secretary for Gov. Phil Murphy, said in a statement. “The projects are a vital part of Governor Murphy’s commitment to combatting climate change and moving New Jersey to a 100% clean energy economy by 2035, which will add even more good paying green energy jobs to our state. The Murphy Administration is firmly committed to New Jersey becoming a national leader in offshore wind development and addressing the ever-increasing dangers of climate change.”