Energy Wonders of The World: Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW), The Largest Offshore Wind Project in The U.S.
- Mar 30
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 31
The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project is a 2.6 GW utility-scale development consisting of 176 turbines, located 27 miles off Virginia Beach. In March 2026, the first commercial turbines began delivering power to the grid. Upon completion in 2027, it will be the largest offshore wind farm in the U.S. and just the fifth 2 GW+ power plant to start construction in the U.S. since 1990, securing its place as an Energy Wonder of The World.
To appreciate the energy density of CVOW, consider that matching its 9.5 TWh annual output with solar would require nearly 10 million panels covering 25,000 acres of land.
A Project Engineered To Support Data Centers
The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project holds a unique distinction: it is being built in the world’s largest data center hub. Of the roughly 600 hyperscale (100+ MW) data centers in the U.S., nearly 200 are located in Virginia, with several "Gigascale" campuses also recently announced for the state.
While even a massive 2.6 GW project cannot meet all of these requirements, it plays an integral role in matching power with Virginia’s soaring energy requirements, while adding offshore wind into the mixture of solutions that support the ever-growing demands of data centers.
Resetting Development Expectations
The 14-year span from lease rights to first power illustrates the long timeline required for the gigascale infrastructure that is increasingly being sought. Notably, Virginia’s concentration of hyperscale data centers has fundamentally changed the economics of what is possible; their ability to be offtakers for carbon-free power provides economic certainty that helped the project to move forward, even as other offshore wind projects across the U.S. and world have stalled.
The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is a demonstrative example of matching American technology and energy ambition in the 21st century.
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind: Project Facts | |
Nameplate Capacity | 2.6 GW |
Completion Date | 2027 |
Total Project Costs | $11.5B |
Development Time | 14 Years |
Annual Power | 9.5 TWh (equivalent to power needs of ~ 700K households |
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