Developing an Offshore Electricity Grid: the European and U.S. Approach

With the increasing number of offshore wind farms and the increasing distance from shore, different approaches of connecting the offshore wind farms are considered. The development of an offshore electricity grid to connect offshore wind and to deliver additional benefits for the system fits in this context. This is why offshore grid developments are currently investigated both in Europe and in the U.S. The legal framework for offshore grids firstly depends on the law of the sea and on how states make use of the competences they have at sea. In Europe, EU law helps to provide for a general framework and for the interoperability of the grids in different countries. It also sets standards for maritime spatial planning. Other topics are addressed through national law of the coastal states. In the U.S., offshore is a federal competence, with an open-door procedure for parties interested to develop offshore transmission.