Offshore wind farms offer an outstanding opportunity for the East Coast
A decade ago, offshore wind was dismissed as a viable clean energy source for a variety of reasons: too expensive, too difficult to build, and, frankly, no wind energy companies were even looking in the direction of the East Coast for possible developments. While onshore wind energy burgeoned in the Midwest where wind was reliable and a relatively cheap option, there is not enough space to build wind farms among the hundreds of towns and cities lining the east coast.
However, this all changed in 2016 when Ørsted, a Danish wind company, built the Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island which generates enough energy to power 17,000 houses and created 300 construction jobs. After the success of that project, more states began jumping on the offshore wind bandwagon. For example, in hopes of reaching their ambitious 2050 clean energy goal, New York Government Cuomo has pledged 9,000 megawatts of wind-power development over the next 15 years. Maryland and New Jersey have also pledged their respective amounts and have also started wind projects with Ørsted as well.
What Ørsted and other wind energy companies are finding is that the East Coast actually has a very convenient continental shelf which wraps around the coast, meaning wind companies don’t actually have to dive as deep in order to find solid foundations for their turbines. Furthermore, the wind speeds along the coast, especially in the northeast and southeast, are quite substantial and reliable. In fact, one of the major benefits of offshore wind is that the wind supply is often more consistent and stronger than the wind supply onshore. This means that the electricity generated will provide a reliable supply for resident living along the coast, as long as engineers ensure that the transmission lines and infrastructure are secure.
Despite the challenges of connecting the offshore wind farms to onshore electric grids and buildings the wind turbines in the middle of the ocean, there are a multitude of reasons why local and state governments should subsidize the building of these projects. In fact, the price of offshore wind has drastically decreased with advanced and more efficient technology. Simply put, even though onshore wind energy is still slightly cheaper, offshore wind energy cannot be ignored as a possible energy source for states with limited space and crowded cities.
Currently, five projects by Ørsted have been federally improved including the Revolution Wind project containing 50 turbines for Rhode Island and Connecticut, the Skipjack Wind Farm in Maryland with fifteen turbines and the Vineyard Wind operation in Massachusetts with a whopping 100 turbines. Another project by Dominion Energy to build two turbines off the coast of Virginia Beach has also been approved. Other states like New Jersey, New York and Delaware have also begun proposals for wind farms or have expressed interest in exploring the possibilities.
Furthermore, wind energy companies like Ørsted have promised more jobs directly and indirectly. Firstly, the maritime industry will definitely receive a bump in revenue as heavy-lifting vessels are required for the construction and maintenance of the wind turbines. In agreement with New Jersey for the Ocean Wind Farm, Ørsted has also promised to create a significant amount of temporary and at least 3000 permanent jobs in construction and engineering.
Given the twelve-year ultimatum by climate scientists, governments need to at least draft new proposals for clean energy projects now given the lethargic and bureaucratic system of approval by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Given the negotiations for building wind farms require maneuvering through land conflicts, disagreements with the state’s dominant electricity supplier, and logistical difficulties, it could take easily at least five years to see these wind farms go from an idea to operational.
For the states who have yet to jump in the fray, the addition of offshore wind energy to their clean energy supply is not only viable but a promising option, especially as technology and innovation, continue to improve at a blistering pace. Local governments have the power to incentivize businesses and residents to invest in clean energy through subsidies and “energy credits”—they just need to start putting in the effort to research and find the most viable solutions for our climate crisis. There is also hope that the federal government will also offer some support for wind energy development with the “Offshore Wind Incentives for New Development Act and the Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act” introduced to the Senate in early July. With the climate warning and more officials finally paying attention to environmental policy, offshore wind will likely become a relevant and popular solution for many.
