US offshore wind reaps tech boost after delay

‘Designing with uncertainty’ concept has worked out to the advantage of east coast projects

Engineers working on large infrastructure projects use a concept known as designing with uncertainty. The approach reflects the reality that, over time, costs tend to rise, policymakers change their minds and construction techniques evolve. Typically, for example, a new subway line through Manhattan will rise in cost for every year its start date is delayed. But what if technology is advancing so quickly that project delays confer advantages—as deployment challenges lessen—and costs fall? Something like this just happened in the US. Vineyard Wind, an 800MW project at the front end of a new offshore wind industry—delayed for years by the Trump administration—is now set to go forward. Forward,