Interdependencies Between Offshore Wind Design and Permitting Processes

This paper investigates the interdependencies between offshore wind design and the federal permitting process for utility-scale offshore wind, while proposing a list of topical areas requiring frequent interaction between two or more organizational functions in support of informed decisions with the best available information. In the United States (U.S.), the primary document upon which approval to construct an offshore wind project is based is the Construction and Operations Plan (COP), submitted by the offshore wind developer. The COP forms the foundation of content in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). BOEM's approval of the EIS is the key decision milestone, enabling the issuance of nearly all federal permits needed to construct and operate an offshore wind farm within Federal Waters of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). More than 30 specific expert-led assessments and studies are included in a COP, requiring a minimum of two years of effort. Typically, the developer engages a consultant to coordinate and author the development of the COP, with support from specialist subcontractors. In parallel, the developer either hires, or has an internal department concurrently working on, the design and early phase engineering of the project. A natural organizational tendency is for these teams to operate within their technical areas, communicating with each other only at specific interfaces on specific topics. This common tendency can result in engineering decisions with unanticipated effects on the COP development and permitting schedule.