Brattle consultants have released a report that analyzes the design, costs, and benefits of a meshed offshore grid for New York, as compared to a design of offshore wind (OSW) plants with only radial interconnections. The study, conducted with Siemens and Hatch and prepared for the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), expands on key findings of the Initial Report on the New York Power Grid Study, which Brattle prepared for the New York State Public Service Commission and was published earlier this year.

The study found that the cost of creating “mesh ready” offshore substations that can accommodate future links between the substations adds less than 0.4% to the cost of an offshore wind plant. The benefits of implementing the meshed links at some point in the future may be substantial, with payback periods possibly as short as several years.

The full report, “The Benefit and Cost of Preserving the Option to Create a Meshed Offshore Grid for New York,” authored by Brattle Principals Johannes Pfeifenberger, John Tsoukalis, and Dr. Samuel Newell, is available for download below.

View Report