This state’s biggest city boasts a 3-mile boardwalk and the longest pleasure beach in the world (you can check the Guinness World Records). You will find it to be a cultural center that features the International Sand Sculpture Celebration and the Neptune Festival. Now, its ocean is becoming a power plant that will light up 660,000 homes by 2026 with its 2,600,000 kW. This revolutionary project will significantly change the city and state’s stance in the renewable energy game.
Changing its stance in the renewable energy game
The world has been gradually transitioning to renewable energies as alternatives to burning fossil fuels for power. This transition is part of a global attempt to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, while trying to meet the ever-rising global demand for energy. The United States is also part of this transition, and many of its states have decided to change their stance in the renewable energy game.
A particular state’s government has highlighted its commitment to transitioning its economy to sustainable power, making it a key area for future growth. According to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, an act was established called the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). The VCEA has a set target of achieving 100% zero-carbon power by 2050.
To achieve this target, Virginia has been rapidly growing its renewable energy sector. Now, its biggest city will be turning its ocean into a power plant (figuratively speaking, of course) by turning to a particular renewable energy source.
This city’s ocean is becoming a power plant
Something big is happening, and it is happening approximately 27 miles off the coast of Virginia’s biggest city, Virginia Beach. On the Outer Continental Shelf, a massive project is underway and is managed by Dominion Energy. The company bought the Lease Area in the federal waters on September 4, 2013, according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
After just over a decade, the Department of the Interior declared that construction and operation of a powerful offshore project had been approved. The project is called the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Project, and its offshore construction started in early 2024. This massive offshore wind project is powerful enough to power up 660,000 homes, according to Dominion Energy.
The CVOW project will have a power capacity of 2,6 GW, or 2,600,000 kW. Once completed, it will comprise 176 offshore wind turbines, which will provide plentiful carbon-free power. The engineering consultant for the project is Ramboll.
The project is about so much more than just power
“Ramboll is a respected, global leader in the offshore wind industry and their expertise will be a valuable asset as we develop our Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. Working with experienced offshore wind leaders, such as Ramboll, will help us bring clean, renewable energy to our customers and achieve our goal of net zero emissions.” – Mark D. Mitchell, vice president of generation construction for Dominion Energy
According to Dominion Energy, the project has many advantages besides its power capacity.
CVOW Project advantages beyond its power
- Expands Virginia’s diverse energy mix
- Ensures energy security and reliability
- Decreases fuel costs with savings of $3 billion during the first decade of operations
- Contributes to Virginia’s VCEA target
- Job opportunity creation
- Revenue growth
- Economic development
The CVOW project is estimated to be finished by 2026, and this revolutionary project is set to be a game-changer for a state that has made its renewable energy targets clear. While offshore wind projects have proven to be more efficient than traditional onshore wind projects, many people have shown their concerns regarding the effects of offshore wind turbines on whale behavior. However, experts have indicated that further research and analysis will be required to separate fact from fiction.
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