Con Edison Transmission, Inc. is proposing to build Clean Link New Jersey, an offshore transmission network to deliver wind power from multiple generators at sea with minimal impact to local communities, marine life and views along the Garden State’s famous shoreline.
Clean Link New Jersey would help the state meet its ambitious clean energy goals and create union jobs, while boosting the rapidly emerging Mid-Atlantic offshore wind market.
Clean Link New Jersey plans to connect 2.4 GW of future offshore wind capacity to the grid’s high-voltage onshore backbone. The project would install multiple subsea transmission cables through a defined “power corridor,” to minimize the environmental impact. The offshore mesh-style network is flexible and modular, to allow various offshore wind projects to plug in as they become ready to generate.
“Clean Link New Jersey will advance the Garden State’s clean energy future, providing reliable energy delivery of offshore wind generation,” said Stuart Nachmias, president and CEO of Con Edison Transmission. “As a successful independent transmission developer, we understand that the transition to a clean energy future needs to be balanced with the needs of local communities. Our proposed project will provide good-paying jobs and economic opportunity, preserve the beauty of the Jersey shoreline, and minimize disruption to New Jerseyans while helping achieve the State’s clean energy goals.”
Con Edison Transmission, Inc., a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc., is developing a portfolio of transmission projects delivering renewable energy to customers. Offshore wind is an important opportunity for the company. Between them, New York and New Jersey are seeking to add 16.5 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035, making the Mid-Atlantic one of the largest future regional offshore wind markets in the world.
Delivering renewable energy at a value
Clean Link New Jersey’s power corridor proposal provides a platform for a coordinated approach to offshore wind transmission from multiple generators. The corridor includes offshore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) collector platforms as the building blocks for bringing power to the shore. All elements of the project design contribute to Clean Link New Jersey’s commitment to reliability and resiliency.
The project can connect these platforms and potentially other nearby platforms by alternating-current (AC) connections to create an affordable resilient connection and the flexibility to support the growing offshore wind generation capacity.
Building in the needs of the community and the environment
Con Edison Transmission selected HVDC technology, which is less intrusive than AC and can be placed underground resulting in a smaller project footprint and less disruption to the community.
Clean Link New Jersey has the potential to decrease the reliance on must-run generation, which is predominately fossil-fuel generation, by as much as 42 percent, and decrease the amount of carbon dioxide emissions by up to 4 percent.
