ABBREVIATIONS
CLV - Cable Lay Vessel
COD - Commercial Operation Date
COP - Commercial Operation Plan
CSOV - Construction Service Operation Vessel
EC - Export Cable
EIS - Environmental Impact Statement
FID - Final Investment Decision
GE - GE Vernova (General Electic)
HDD - Horizontal Directional Drilling
IAC - Inter Array Cable
KV - Kilovolt
MW - Megawatt
O&M - Operations & Maintenance
OSS - Offshore Substation
OSV - Offshore Supply Vessel
PPA - Power Purchase Agreement
ROD - Record of Decision
SGRE - Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
SOV - Service Operation Vessel
TSV - Trenching Support Vessel
W2W - Walk-2-Work Vessel
WTIV - Wind Turbine Installation Vessel
DEFINITIONS
Commercial Operation Date (COD): Date on which the Project satisfies the requirements for demonstrating commercial operation required by its Interconnection Service Agreement
Commercial Operation Plan (COP): The COP is an application an offshore wind developer makes to the federal government, specifically BOEM, for a permit to develop offshore wind energy. COP documents include, at a minimum, the following:
1. A description of the project, and any alternative construction and operation plans that may be used to execute the project.
2. Environmental and technical design reviews of the proposed project.
3. Potential direct and indirect impacts to resources within the planned project study area.
4. Mitigation measures and monitoring requirements. Additional mitigation and monitoring activities may be identified or changed during BOEM’s review process.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): An EIS outlines the status of the environment in the affected area, provides a baseline for understanding the potential consequences of the proposed project, identifies positive and negative effects for the environment, and offers alternative actions, including inaction, in relation to the proposed project.
Final Investment Decision (FID): FID is the final decision to move forward with a project or not. The project must be financially viable to proceed.
Kilovolt (kV): a unit of potential difference equal to 1000 volts.
Megawatt (MW): Rate of energy (electricity) production per unit of time. 1,000 Watts = 1 MW, 746 Watts = 1 Horsepower.
Power Purchase Agreement (PPA): A PPA is an agreement to purchase electricity.
Record of Decision (ROD): The ROD addresses BOEM’s action to approve the Commercial Operation Plan (COP) under subsection 8(p) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
PERMITTING STATUS CRITERIA
Planning: A lease area is in Planning when a developer or regulatory agency initiates the formal site control process.
Site Control: A lease area is in Site Control once a developer gains control through a lease auction.
Permitting: A lease area is in Permitting once it has filed a commercial operation plan (COP).
Approved: A lease area is Approved for construction once it receives regulatory approval for construction activities (ROD and COP approval).
PROJECT STATUS CRITERIA
Development: A lease area is in Development once a developer gains control through a lease auction but has not take FID.
FID: A lease area is FID when the developer has taken final investment decision but has not started construction.
Under Construction: A lease area is Under Construction once onshore or offshore installation work begins.
Commissioned: A lease area is Commissioned once all wind turbines are installed and transmitting power to the grid.
Suspended: A lease area is Suspended when a developer cancels an offtake agreement and defers the project to a later date.
Terminated: A lease area is Terminated when a developer cancels an offtake agreement and ceases all development.
REFERENCES
1. U.S. Department of Energy, "Offshore Wind Market Report: 2023 Edition", August 2023
2. U.S. Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners (LNM)
3. Vineyard Wind Mariner Updates
4. Orsted Mariner Updates
5. Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Mariner Updates
DISCLAIMER
The information herein is presented in good faith without any representation, warranty, or guarantee and subject to change without notice.