New Jersey is the latest state along the Eastern Seaboard to move toward offshore wind power.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a Jan. 31 Executive Order directing the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to fully implement the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA) and begin the process of moving the state toward a goal of 3,500 megawatts of offshore wind energy generation by the year 2030, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
“Little progress has been made on offshore wind development in New Jersey despite a pledge from the previous administration to facilitate our growth of offshore wind,” Governor Murphy said in the release. “We cannot allow for stagnation in this growing sector of our energy economy and we cannot lose sight of the tremendous opportunity for offshore wind at the Jersey Shore. With this Executive Order, we begin the process of making New Jersey a leader in offshore wind, a critical step toward achieving our clean energy goals.”
An article in the Press of Atlantic City said the order commits the state to quickly generate 1,100 megawatts annually of offshore wind energy, and 3,500 megawatts of generation by the year 2030 — enough to power 1.5 million homes.
Unlocking America’s vast offshore wind potential will reliably deliver large amounts of clean power, grow jobs, and cement American energy leadership,” said Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association. “Some of the world’s most powerful wind turbines will now flow from new investments in America’s port and manufacturing infrastructure. We are grateful to governors Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Andrew Cuomo of New York, and Dannel Malloy of Connecticut for recognizing the enormous potential for clean energy off their shores, and acting to make it a reality as soon as possible.