National Grid, a utility company with deep roots in the U.S. Northeast, and Anbaric, a Massachusetts-based transmission project developer, have announced they are joining forces to create the Green Line Infrastructure Alliance.
The partners say the alliance will work to develop large-scale HVDC transmission projects that combine wind and hydropower to address regional energy issues in New England, such as rising prices, declining fuel diversity and the need for more renewable energy.
"We are committed to diversifying New England's energy options and meeting renewable portfolio requirements as affordably as possible for New England consumers," says Stan Blazewicz, vice president of business development at National Grid. "Anbaric's track record as an innovative and efficient transmission developer will help us do that."
Ed Krapels, the founder and head of Anbaric, adds, "We wanted to create the most efficient way to meet the clean energy mandates of New England states and did so through innovative thinking on how to bring wind energy and hydro together into the market."
The Green Line Infrastructure Alliance will kick-start its effort by working to develop the Maine Green Line – a hybrid land-and-sea HVDC project that will initially transmit 1 GW (expandable to 2 GW) of wind from northern Maine, firmed up by imports of hydropower from eastern Canada, via a submarine cable to Massachusetts. Maine-based constructor Cianbro Development Corp. also will be part of the project.
An Anbaric spokesperson says further details about the Green Line project are not available at this time.
For more information on how multiple renewable energy generation options can produce a more reliable grid, visit the Hybrid Energy Innovations event site here.
