Community Benefits Snapshot: Block Island Wind Farm Community Benefits Agreement

This case study examines the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) for the Block Island Wind Farm, the first operational offshore wind farm in the United States. Developed by Deepwater Wind (later acquired by Ørsted), the project focused on improving electricity reliability and environmental quality for the town of New Shoreham by connecting the island to the mainland power grid for the first time.

• The Block Island Wind Farm significantly reduced energy costs and improved reliability for New Shoreham residents. The project is estimated to lower electricity rates by 40%, providing stability for residents who previously paid up to four times the mainland rates and suffered from frequent power surges and brownouts.
• The CBA provided critical infrastructure improvements, most notably the installation of a transmission line to the mainland and a co-installed fiber optic cable. The broadband internet access, which added approximately $2.5 million in costs for the developer, revolutionized services for healthcare facilities, government offices, and schools.
• Environmental benefits included the elimination of five diesel generators, which reduced noise pollution and air pollution. The project removed the need to import 1 million gallons of diesel annually, ending the practice of residents having to scrub soot from their homes.
• Deepwater Wind employed a community engagement strategy that included hiring a full-time local resident as a community liaison and funding third-party technical consultants for the town. This approach helped bridge the gap between the developer and the community, allowing the Town Council to translate community concerns into public comments during permitting.
• The project generated local economic benefits through a project labor agreement that guaranteed roughly 300 jobs for 30 unionized contractors and 10 building trade unions. Additionally, the developer provided two donations of approximately $1.25 million each to the Southeast Lighthouse Foundation and the local historical society.
• The project's success was aided by Rhode Island's pre-existing Special Area Management Plan (SAMP), which provided a framework for balancing ocean resource protection with development. This process helped identify optimal siting areas to avoid conflicts with shipping, recreation, and fishing before the project was proposed.

APA

World Resources Institute (2025). Community Benefits Snapshot: Block Island Wind Farm Community Benefits Agreement. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/community-benefits-snapshot-block-island-wind-farm-community-benefits-agreement

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Community Benefits Snapshot: Block Island Wind Farm Community Benefits Agreement. 2025. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/community-benefits-snapshot-block-island-wind-farm-community-benefits-agreement.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Community Benefits Snapshot: Block Island Wind Farm Community Benefits Agreement |date=31 January 2025 |url=https://www.wri.org/snapshots/community-benefits-snapshot-block-island-wind-farm-community-benefits-agreement |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2025community, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Community Benefits Snapshot: Block Island Wind Farm Community Benefits Agreement}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2025}, month = jan, url = {https://www.wri.org/snapshots/community-benefits-snapshot-block-island-wind-farm-community-benefits-agreement}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }