While offshore wind faces uncertainty in the current political climate, existing infrastructure and clean power demand continue to buoy its potential growth.

The “2050 Transmission Study: Offshore Wind Analysis” report from the Independent System Operator (ISO) New England Inc. released on March 21 showed some positive findings for offshore wind.

It concluded that the New England region has adequate infrastructure to take on increased generation from new offshore installations without major investment in transmission upgrades.

The study found that the region could accept up to 9,600 megawatts (MW) from offshore wind generation without the need for new transmission infrastructure or significant curtailment in the region. That capacity could come from eight 1,200-MW wind farms operating simultaneously at full output.

In support of that projection, the study found that more than a third (up to 38%) of the existing major coastal substations in the New England region may be electrically suitable to interconnect with up to 1,200 MW of new offshore wind capacity.

Additionally, this interconnection could be achieved without the need to construct any new transmission infrastructure or upgrade any existing transmission infrastructure to address thermal concerns.

The study observed that a much larger percentage (86%) of the same substations could also connect with 1,200 MW of offshore wind without constructing any new transmission infrastructure, but they would require some upgrades to existing infrastructure to address thermal concerns.

The study also found that a much smaller subset of the coastal substations could accommodate a 2,000-MW wind farm without the need for any new transmission infrastructure.

The study notes that a large share of the region’s future offshore wind production will likely come from the Gulf of Maine, and it concluded that relocating some offshore wind points of interconnection from Maine south to the Boston area could result in “significant transmission cost savings.” This is because locating generators closer to large population hubs greatly reduces the cumulative distance power must flow to reach consumers, which also reduces strain on the transmission system.

The study added that the region’s system will still need upgrades on its north-south and Maine-New Hampshire transmission interfaces.