Known for clean energy projects in Europe and for supervising installation of America’s first offshore wind turbines, Dutch renewable energy forerunner Ventolines has signed on as offshore wind expertise partner for the Mayflower Wind project off Massachusetts and opened its first permanent U.S. office in Boston.
“We are proud to be part of the team bringing more wind farms and sustainable energy to the U.S.,” said Thibaut de Groen, Ventolines’ Director of Contracting and Construction.
Mayflower Wind, a joint venture of Shell New Energies and Ocean Winds (the global offshore wind collaboration between EDP Renewables and ENGIE), is utilizing a Federal lease area about 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 23 miles south of Nantucket. Mayflower has power purchase agreements in place with Massachusetts utilities for 804 MW of generating capacity, nearly 27-times as much as the 30-MW Block Island Wind Farm off Rhode Island, for which Ventolines supervised the installation of wind turbines and advised on asset management. For Mayflower, Ventolines will provide T&I (transport and installation) expertise on the substation, foundations, array cables, and wind turbines.
“This project signals the advent of large-scale offshore wind energy in America, and we are pleased to be able to add our expertise on projects of this scale,” said Lorry Wagner, who is representing Ventolines in the United States.
For two other U.S. offshore wind projects, Skipjack Wind Farm off the Maryland coast and South Fork Wind off New York’s Long Island, Ventolines supplied technical due diligence during the turbine selection, and technical support for negotiating the turbine supply contract.
“Our formal entry into the U.S. market is the next logical step in our company’s evolution,” said de Groen.
From its new office in Boston, Ventolines will explore new opportunities in the U.S. energy market. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Management has awarded 16 leases for offshore wind farms from Massachusetts to North Carolina. According to the Business Network for Offshore Wind, the East Coast states have committed to developing 29 GW of offshore wind power. Furthermore, the West Coast is considering its own plans.
Headquartered in Almere, near Amsterdam, with a staff of nearly 100 experts, Ventolines has become a significant player in renewable energy in Europe, specifically in the Netherlands, by providing services to all phases of wind, solar and storage projects: development, contracting, legal matters, system integration, construction, and asset management. It offers advice on Power Purchase Agreements, the electricity market, and stakeholder management, as well as financial and legal advice and technical due diligence in investment, divestment and financing transactions. Ventolines guides clients in decisions and manages projects based on many years of expertise, built in lead roles on clean energy projects large and small.
“We have a skilled team with the knowledge and experience to guarantee a reliable, high-quality result,” de Groen said. “And we’re inventive. We always come up with a suitable solution that works for everyone to successfully complete projects. We are persistent and never give up. And we aim to be the best.”
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