Life Cycle Assessment of New Jersey Offshore Wind

Abstract. As offshore wind gains momentum within US renewable energy goals, New Jersey’s ambitious targets for offshore wind development represent a significant opportunity to reduce emissions and transition towards cleaner energy sources. This study presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of a planned offshore wind farm off of New Jersey’s coast, emphasizing the implications of a domestic supply chain. Key findings show the farm is projected to produce 0.0113 kg CO₂ per kWh of electricity generated, reflecting a 98 % decrease in carbon emissions compared to natural gas derived electricity. Further, when compared to carbon emissions of other renewable energy technologies, offshore wind outperforms both solar and onshore wind by 81 % and 48 %, respectively. This finding highlights offshore wind’s role in emissions reduction, as well as the importance of a domestic supply chain to mitigate transportation-related impacts. Additionally, results indicate a need to address the environmental trade-offs of offshore, as steel-intensive materials used in turbines and infrastructure contribute heavily to toxicity-related impacts. This research underscores the potential of offshore wind to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and offers insight into the environmental dynamics of offshore wind energy in the US.