Offshore Wind Continues to Grow Exponentially on the East Coast

Offshore Wind Continues to Grow Exponentially on the East Coast

Even as individual projects have repositioned themselves in order to get to market, new commercial offshore wind projects are moving ahead and coming online up and down the East Coast.  

 

ANNAPOLIS, MD —On January 2, 2024, Vineyard Wind, the first commercial offshore wind project in Massachusetts, started delivering electricity to the grid. In December of 2023, SouthFork Wind, the first offshore wind project in New York, started selling electricity to the grid. In Virginia, Dominion Energy has offshore wind turbines selling electricity to the grid, and is currently building the nation’s largest offshore wind farm. In Maryland, US Wind is plowing ahead with their plans to build an offshore wind farm and deliver clean electricity to the state.

Up and down the East Coast, offshore wind infrastructure is being built and coming online more than ever before. Offshore wind energy can reduce air pollution, improve health outcomes, create good union jobs, and help the state meet its climate mandates. There has never been a better time for offshore wind in America.

Amid this boom in offshore wind, some individual companies and projects have hit speed bumps. On January 25, Orsted announced that it is repositioning its offshore wind projects Skipjack 1 and 2. Those projects are no longer planning to provide the Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Credits to help Maryland meet its clean energy goals. However, Orsted says that it does still plan to build the offshore wind projects. The company is simply looking for a different mechanism to get to market. This announcement is different from Orsted’s announcement in New Jersey where the projects were canceled entirely.

Jamie DeMarco, Maryland Director at CCAN, stated:

“Anytime a new technology is deployed at scale there will be individual projects that face challenges, but the overall trend in the offshore wind industry in the United States is exponential growth.

“Maryland’s Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources (POWER) Act of 2023 provided the Department of General Services the authority to purchase up to 5 million megawatt hours of offshore wind energy. Maryland should make full use of this new authority.”

Contact:
Jamie DeMarco, CCAN, Jamie@chesapeakeclimate.org , 443-845-5601
KC Chartrand, CCAN, kc@chesapeakeclimate.org, 240-620-7144

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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is dedicated to driving change in public policies at the local, state and national level to address the climate crisis. Through voter education, lobbying, and participation in the electoral process, we seek to advance our country’s leadership in the global movement towards clean energy solutions — focusing our efforts primarily in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. We know that a vibrant democracy is central to our success so we work to defend democratic integrity wherever we can.

Offshore Wind: Up Close and Personal

By Jess Rampulla

On a warm September day, twenty-two CCAN staff members, friends, and supporters boarded a boat in Virginia Beach to see offshore wind turbines, located twenty-seven miles off the coast of Virginia. This once-in-a-lifetime experience was truly remarkable, and I was thrilled to be able to share it with other members of the climate community.

At eight in the morning, our group boarded a boat along with members of Dominion Energy staff and Rudee Tours to begin our five-hour trip. You could feel the excitement from everyone on board, ready for the journey ahead of us. While the first moments driving out proved to be rockier than expected, our CCAN group continued to exclaim how excited they were to be here, with people making jokes about if everyone had taken their dramamine for breakfast. After the water settled, we all loaded into the boat’s inner cabin, just big enough to hold everyone on board, to hear a presentation from a Dominion Energy staff member on what to expect during the trip, and facts about the amount of power wind turbines could produce.

After the presentation, everyone shuffled back out on the deck to enjoy the warm weather and try and catch a glimpse of the turbines. We could just barely see them off in the distance around ten miles offshore. On our journey out, I had conversations with several CCAN donors and supporters on board. Reasons for making the journey varied from “we could never have passed up this opportunity” to “I’m doing this to give my grandchildren a better future.” As the turbines became more visible, people on board began to snap pictures and crowd towards the front of the boat. Everyone wanted proof that they were here today, and to have evidence to share with all their friends and family back home.

Finally, after around two hours, we pulled up just feet from one of the turbines. Enormous doesn’t feel like quite a strong enough word to describe just how big these power sources were:

The thing that shocked me the most from being so up close was just how quiet the turbines were. They made no sound, aside from the whoosh of air as they spun. The boat stopped for around thirty minutes so everyone was able to admire the turbines and get all the photos they wanted. The joy on everyone’s face as they looked up at these huge structures was contagious. We were looking at the future of off-shore wind energy in Virginia. Maryland State Delegate, Lorig Charkoudian was on board and spoke with members of CCAN’s staff about how this was the ultimate goal for Maryland as well. While at the turbines, we had a surprise visit from a school of fish, swimming and feeding around the bottom of the turbines, proving that these structures don’t affect marine life in the area.

After our stop at the turbines, we started the journey back. We spotted a pod of about twenty dolphins swimming next to our boat, happily jumping in and out of the waves. We ate sandwiches and chips and made sure to keep hydrated and reapply sunscreen. The trip back was more subdued, with everyone appearing to process the magnitude of what they saw. As we pulled back into port and walked off the boat, groups of people formed, all sharing their own thoughts from the trip. As people loaded into cars to drive back home or begin a day of canvassing, I felt overwhelmingly grateful for this experience and to have the opportunity to work for a company like CCAN that helps move the Chesapeake region towards cleaner energy and a more sustainable future.

Maryland Public Service Approves Dan’s Mountain Wind Farm in Western Maryland

CCAN applauds the 4-1 decision and calls on the PSC to do more to unlock offshore wind power and address a backlog of solar farm projects across Maryland

TAKOMA PARK, MD — The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC)  today voted 4-1 to approve a long-delayed wind farm project on Dan’s Mountain in Allegany County. The 70-megawatt project will create hundreds of jobs and provide a million dollars per year in tax revenue for a county hit hard by the ongoing COVID-19 recession. 

Now the Commission must turn its attention to speeding up the approval process for a backlog of solar energy projects in the state and assisting state legislators in maximizing Maryland’s offshore wind power potential against threats from the Trump Administration. 

Statement from Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network: 

“The Maryland PSC did the right thing today in approving the Dan’s Mountain wind farm. The project is supported by the Western Building Trades Union and will create hundreds of good-paying jobs while cleaning up our air and reducing climate emissions. The irony of this 70-megawatt project sitting atop land formerly stripped-mined for coal is not lost on Marylanders, especially young people who can now better glimpse a clean energy future. 

“But now the PSC must further unlock that future. Annapolis legislators are asking the PSC to help advance 400 megawatts of offshore wind power with 2,000 new jobs at stake. Plus the PSC must act faster to unlock a backlog of delayed solar projects across the state, caused in large part by the slow action of a state entity called the Power Plant Research Project.

“As for the Dan’s Mountain wind farm, we believe the PSC struck the right balance in weighing the economic and environmental benefits of the project versus the legitimate concerns of some local residents who fought long and hard against the project. Some of those opponents have fought shoulder to shoulder with CCAN against fracked-gas pipelines in Western Maryland and in favor of a fracking ban. We respect those opponents and their concerns about wind power. But we are convinced that, in the fight against fossil fuels and for the long-term preservation of our Appalachian Mountains, land-based wind farms have a role to play when properly sited and carefully regulated. Again, we believe the Maryland Public Service Commission struck the right balance today and should be applauded.”

Background: 

Solar Delay: The PSC and the Power Plant Research Project are dragging their feet on acting on more than 40 “shovel-ready” solar projects. It now takes 1.5 years on average to get a solar farm approved in the state. The wait is longer than in most states and is undoubtedly discouraging new companies from coming here. 

Threats to Offshore Wind: in December 2019, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a plan to subject certain energy generation technologies to a high and arbitrary Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) requirements in their bids in the PJM capacity market, of which Maryland is a member. As a result, technologies like offshore wind could be entirely excluded from this market. A group of 62 Maryland State Delegates have asked the PSC to move as quickly as possible to adjust the guidance on the open offshore wind-bidding process, to request that bidders submit contingency bids outlining one proposal without capacity payments and a second with capacity payments.

CONTACT:
Denise Robbins, Communications Director, 240-630-1889, denise@chesapeakeclimate.org
Mike Tidwell, Director, 240-460-5838, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org 

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The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 17 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. 

Offshore Wind Energy is a Breeze: Economic Benefits

By Chloe Taylor, Katrina Vaitkus, Justin Stacey, Zachary Felch, Amanda Speciale, Katie DeVoss, and Miranda Mlilo
Who we are:

Left to right: Chloe Taylor, Katrina Vaitkus, Zachary Felch, Justin Stacey, Miranda Mlilo, Amanda Speciale, and Katie DeVoss

We are a group of University of Maryland students majoring in Environmental Science and Policy. For our senior capstone project, we are researching the impact of offshore wind energy  to help CCAN prepare for the upcoming public comment period for the proposed Ocean City US Wind Project. We will be creating a series of blog posts to provide information about different aspects of offshore wind and its impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, the economy, and wildlife. This is the second of our three part series.


There seems to be a common misconception that offshore wind energy might hurt Ocean City’s economy. This could not be further from the truth! In fact, research suggests that an offshore wind farm may actually bolster very important sectors of the economy such as tourism, real estate, and job creation.
Tourism and Real Estate
Many polls have surveyed beachgoers and gathered data about their vacationing preferences after the theoretical construction of offshore wind turbines. The results were generally positive for offshore wind, and showed either no change in beach preferences, or an increased likelihood that tourists would visit the area. For example, one Goucher poll from fall 2017 surveyed Marylanders to find out how the proposed offshore wind project would impact whether they choose Ocean City as a vacation destination. Out of 671 Marylanders, 75% of people said that the offshore wind farm would make no difference about where they choose to vacation. Additionally, 12% said that the presence of a wind farm might make them more inclined to visit, out of curiosity and interest.
This sentiment was further emphasized by Jessica Willi, Executive Director of the Block Island Tourism Council who stated that after the construction of the Block Island offshore wind farm, “We’ve definitely seen more people on the island that have come just to see the wind farm; we’ve had businesses sprout up on the island, boats taking people out just to see the wind farm.”
Additionally, a French study found that turbines will bring an increase in biodiversity and wildlife. This will expand the tourism market, bolstered by the desire to view, learn about, and interact with wildlife through activities like observational boating and diving around turbine foundations!
Furthermore, it is unlikely that there will be any negative impacts on real estate prices. While there is no existing data regarding real estate impacts from offshore wind farms, there are studies from onshore facilities located close to homes indicating that real estate will not be affected. Since offshore wind farms are located several miles off of the coast and have negligible visibility, data showing no effect from turbines located close to homes onshore would likely support a lack of impact for offshore turbines far from homes and other properties.  In fact, benefits from tourism and lower electricity costs might even increase property values.
A 2013 study by Ben Hoen and colleagues found no statistical evidence that wind turbines affected nearby home prices in either the post-announcement/pre-construction or post-construction period. They found that while sale prices might temporarily decrease following the announcement of construction, labeled the “anticipation effect,” these decreases will wear off following construction.
Job Creation
US Wind plans to invest millions of dollars into Baltimore’s industrial and manufacturing sector. This substantial investment into the local economy is the root of the job opportunities for the city from the offshore wind project. Revitalization of the manufacturing industry could lead to the creation of hundreds of jobs in the greater Baltimore area, contributing to the 3,580 jobs the Public Service Commission of Maryland has required US Wind to create in the state. At every step of the process, employment opportunities abound. Skilled workers from numerous disciplines are essential to upgrade the facilities at Tradepoint Atlantic (at Sparrows Point) and other locations. An independent study for the Department of Energy forecasts the creation of up to 600 jobs and 33 million dollars in compensation during this stage alone. After the improvements are complete, over 150 tradespeople will likely be employed at the fabrication facility constructing steel jacket foundations — these jobs will continue even after the Maryland offshore wind project is complete as the East Coast’s offshore wind industry grows. Such professions can pay over 20 dollars an hour.
Not only does Baltimore stand to gain significant employment opportunities, so does Ocean City. As the closest city to the project, there is a unique chance to participate in the construction and upkeep of the wind turbines. Specialized workers from crane operators to electricians may be called on to help in the construction of the turbines while receiving payment upwards of 25 dollars an hour on average, if not more. Perhaps the most interesting job prospect is the chance to become employed as wind turbine service technicians. With a lifespan of 25 years, the turbines will require constant check ups and maintenance by locally-based technicians. Community colleges and technical schools are the key to getting a foot in the door with a 2-year degree or 1-year certification in the field. With a 96% job outlook in the coming years, the time is now to enter the profession.
Economic Benefits in Maryland
This project will also generate millions of dollars for Maryland’s economy, providing more jobs and emerging business investments. Maryland created the Maryland Offshore Wind Business Development Fund to encourage future project development. US Wind is required to contribute $6 million to this fund between 2017-2019, which will help other businesses emerge and profit within this novel industry. US Wind has pledged to invest 26.4 million dollars in upgrades to the Tradepoint Atlantic port facility, and an additional 51 million dollars in another steel facility, further solidifying their commitment to the local economy and job growth. US Wind is required to spend at least 19% of total development and construction costs within Maryland. Their studies estimate this in-state expenditure to be $610 million during development and construction, and another $744 million (valued in 2017 dollars) in the operation phase. This offshore wind farm will provide millions of dollars to the state’s economy and help advance business interests.
In addition to these state benefits, Marylanders do not need to fear exorbitant electricity costs. There may be some concern over how the state will offset the costs to build the project, such as raising the price of electricity. However, Maryland law prohibits residential rates from exceeding an additional $1.50 per month (valued in 2012 dollars) through 2040. For businesses and other non-residential payers, this increase is less than 1.4% annually. While this is a small increase, it is still advantageous to build the wind farm, as it helps the state comply with its renewable energy standards. Additionally, the cost of electricity should decrease over time as this project encourages future offshore wind projects in the pipeline. In one National Renewable Energy Laboratory study, they found the cost of electricity in the mid-Atlantic will decrease through 2027 with the installation of offshore wind projects currently in the pipeline. Compared to 2015 prices, the data reflect a 41-52% cost reduction in 2027 per megawatt hour to the mid-Atlantic! Thus, constructing this project will only have small rate increases to Maryland ratepayers, but will decrease future regional energy costs while meeting our renewable energy goals.
In conclusion, offshore wind has the potential to increase tourism and property values in Ocean City. The project will create jobs, stabilize electricity rates, and increase Maryland’s Taylor x revenue. Stay informed, get involved, and let our government know that you support offshore wind in the state of Maryland!
SIGN THIS PETITION TO THE BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT URGING THEM TO APPROVE OFFSHORE WIND IN MARYLAND!

Learn More: Bringing Offshore Wind to Maryland

Bringing Offshore Wind to MD: Inspiration from Block Island

On September 17th, I had the great opportunity of joining a “Power Women” tour of the Block Island wind farm in Rhode Island, the nation’s only offshore wind farm. Organized by the National Wildlife Federation and Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy, the tour brought together women working in clean energy advocacy and in the industry itself. I traveled from Maryland with my colleagues Jennifer Kunze from Clean Water Action, Laqeisha Greene from United Workers, and Leah Kelly with the Environmental Integrity Project to join the tour.

A group photo from the “Power Women” tour of the Block Island Wind Farm.

As we work with our local partners to bring offshore wind to Maryland, we can learn a lot from the U.S.’s only offshore wind farm off of Block Island. The wind farm was built by Deepwater Wind and came online in December 2016. It’s a small project, made up of just five 6-megawatt turbines. But those five turbines are enough to power 17,000 homes both on Block Island and on the mainland with clean, renewable energy. Prior to the wind farm, Block Island’s 300 residents received their power from diesel generators. When the turbines were installed, Deepwater built a submarine cable that connected Block Island to the mainland electric grid for the first time, and the island was able to turn off those diesel generators. As Aileen Kenney of Deepwater Wind remarked on the tour, “It’s a small symbol of how renewable energy will replace some of those dirtier older fuels.”

Five 6-megawatt turbines make up the Block Island wind farm.

The project is 16 miles off of the mainland, so it took a while to get out there. While there have been some concerns in Maryland about how visible offshore wind turbines will be from the shore, I struggled to see them for most of our boat ride. Then they slowly began to appear on the horizon, cropping up on the horizon in their slow-moving elegance. Once we approached the turbines, we cruised around them and heard from local elected officials, technical experts from Deepwater Wind and GE, and advocates who were instrumental in bringing this project online. 

It took most of the boat ride before we could start to see the turbines on the horizon.

Once we reached the turbines, elected officials from Rhode Island and Massachusetts engaged in competitive banter about who is going to install the most megawatts of offshore wind power. Rep. Pat Haddad from Massachusetts got a lot of laughs when she commented, “I used to be the queen of coal. Now I’m the witch of wind.”
I chatted with Janet Coit, director of Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management, on the boat, and she shared more insights into the project’s local reception. I mentioned some of the concerns that I’ve heard in Maryland, particularly about how offshore wind could potentially impact tourism. Ms. Coit spoke about how the turbines off of Block Island have actually become a tourist destination themselves. And as an island that is largely dependent upon tourism, the additional reason to visit has been a boon. While there was some initial hesitation from a few folks on the island who were worried about impacts to the pristine view of the ocean, she said that most people have come around: “it’s just like how people get used to utility lines, it’s part of the viewshed and it’s actually cool, like Block Island is celebrating that it’s green.”

Aileen Kenney, Senior Vice President of Development at Deepwater Wind, shared a lot of information about the project including its economic benefits, the company’s engagement with local communities, and various precautions to protect wildlife. She said that the Block Island project generated 300 construction jobs and noted that when she goes to public meetings about offshore wind, “you don’t even hear about the climate benefits anymore because people are really focusing in on the port improvement, the jobs, what is it going to mean for people going back to work in ports, and the whole manufacturing side of it.” Coming from Baltimore where we stand to gain port improvements and local manufacturing jobs from Maryland’s proposed wind farms, I can attest to this deep interest in the economic opportunities presented by offshore wind.

Aileen Kenney with Deepwater Wind noted that since the turbines were built, there’s been an increase in recreational fishing around the turbines as they function as artificial reefs. She shared, “Some of the recreational fishermen, they’ll be tweeting out or blogging out which turbine is the best for catch on certain days. So it’s fun, and that all drives into the economy of Rhode Island and brings more people, makes Rhode Island more attractive for fishing.”

Ms. Kenney also pointed out an avian radar unit that was installed in collaboration with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that allows the agency to track endangered species when they’re flying across Rhode Island Sound. And she spoke about efforts to minimize the impacts from pile driving, which causes noise that can be disruptive to marine mammals and sea turtles. To protect local wildlife, particularly the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale from the construction noise, conservation groups helped develop an agreement to limit the time of year that pile driving could occur. And when pile driving did take place, Ms. Kenney described how “teams of protected species observers on vessels patroll[ed] around, looking for marine mammals and shutting down construction activity when they were in certain zones.”

Aileen Kenney, Senior Vice President of Development at Deepwater Wind, speaking about the project off Block Island.

While no development project is going to have zero impacts to the local community and environment, the team of people who brought the Block Island wind farm to completion seemed genuinely committed to addressing concerns and working in collaboration to build the best possible project. As we headed back to shore, I spoke with Ms. Kenney and Joy Weber from Deepwater to learn more about what their plans are for Maryland. Their proposed wind farm in Maryland will be much bigger than the one off Block Island, generating 120 MW of energy and creating 913 direct and 484 indirect jobs. I asked what type of jobs they expect the project to create and what types of transferable skills will be useful for people hoping to work on the project. Ms. Kenney said that the Block Island project employed “welders, painters, electricians,” and noted that “welding is welding. It’s a transferable skill if you’re a qualified welder, so the weld on that [pointing to a turbine] is a very transferable skill.” Then there are the maintenance and operating jobs after the projects are built.

Ms. Weber remarked that as the industry gets off the ground, “there’s going to be a lot of partnering [with] companies that have done this before and maybe from out of state that come in and partner with Maryland companies that are interested in getting involved.” As Maryland’s Public Service Commission emphasized when they approved both Deepwater’s project as well as U.S. Wind’s project last year, Maryland has an exciting opportunity to lead the offshore wind industry on the East Coast. Ms. Kenney spoke of this potential: “there’s not just a project, there’s an industry that will mean long-term, sustainable jobs as well.”
We also chatted about how to overcome some of the lingering opposition and concerns in Maryland, mostly around the appearance of the wind turbines. Ms. Weber predicted, “I think that understandably there’s concern about changing anything. But I think that people are going to be okay once they see how you can barely see them.”
Indeed, as our boat got closer to shore, the turbines disappeared from view once again. But I was sad to see them go. Rather than obstructing a pristine ocean view, I think the turbines are beautiful symbols of our clean energy future. 

Check out a video from the tour below!

Want to bring offshore wind to Maryland? Sign this petition to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management urging them to approve offshore wind in our state!

Learn More: Bringing Offshore Wind to Maryland

“Wonders of the Wind” Art Show Traveled Maryland in May

Over the past few months, CCAN worked with partners across Maryland to put on an art exhibition called “Wonders of the Wind,” which highlighted the beauty of wind power and the clean energy future. Nineteen artists created sculptures, paintings, and other original work inspired by the prospect of two offshore wind farms coming to our state. The exhibition opened in Ocean City – where the turbines will be installed – and closed in Baltimore – where the manufacturing and assembly will be based.
So, why an art show?
Last year, Maryland took a huge step toward becoming the East Coast hub for offshore wind when our state’s Public Service Commission approved two applications for large wind farms off our coast. These projects promise thousands of jobs and enough energy to power over 500,000 homes. Now, those projects must secure federal permits in order to move forward.
This won’t be an easy fight. There has already been a steady stream of opposition to offshore wind, mainly focused on the aesthetic appearance of wind turbines. Some elected officials have even referred to the turbines as “visual pollution” — to which we say: what about actual pollution?
As an artist and an advocate, I deeply value the power of art to share stories and increase awareness about the critical issues we face today. That’s why I was so excited to work with a coalition of artists and environmental and faith-based allies to organize the “Wonders of the Wind” exhibition to highlight the beauty of wind power and a more just, sustainable future in Maryland.
We hosted receptions in Ocean City and Baltimore where attendees could view artwork, learn more about offshore wind from guest speakers, and even make pinwheels to take home with them as reminders of the wonders of the wind. Scroll down to see photos from these receptions and to view some of the artwork featured in the “Wonders of the Wind” exhibition.

Artists pose in front of the “Wonders of the Wind” backdrop by Alex Dukes, Di’amon Fisher, Grace Marshall, Naomi Wilkins, Stephanie Wallace, and Torianne Montes-Schiff at the Baltimore reception on May 19, 2018 at Seventh Metro Church.

 
Making pinwheels at the Ocean City reception on May 12, 2018 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. (Photo credit: Torianne Montes-Schiff)

 
“The Transition” by Erika Clark focuses on nature’s transition from a populated wasteland to a more healthy setting with wind energy, replacing unhealthy coal emissions.

 
Alexandra Russell painted “A Mother’s Love” for the exhibition. She and her mother attended the Mother’s Day weekend reception in Ocean City. (Photo credit: Torianne Montes-Schiff)

 
Ronald Rucker performs a song inspired by wind power at the Baltimore reception.

 
“la puissance éolienne” by Anna Fine Foer (photo courtesy of artist)

 
Posing with the “Wonders of the Wind” backdrop and holding signs from the 2017 Peoples Climate March.

 
Larry Bannerman of Turner Station Conservation Teams speaks at the Baltimore reception about his career working for BGE and the importance of switching to clean energy. Valeska Populoh’s windsock “Wind Power Now!” can be seen in the top right.

 
“Considering perspective; The Story of Tom Thumbnail” by Kate Hardwicke, Jacob Kenna, and Rebecca Mark plays with size, shape and texture, and serves as a near literal demonstration of the size the wind turbines will appear on the horizon.

 
Mike Pretl, president of the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, spoke about the importance of offshore wind in curbing climate change at the Ocean City reception.

 
“Refer to the Experts” by Barbara Hager encourages viewers to look to the Netherlands’ example of harnessing wind power.

 
A crankie by Emily Schubert entitled, “It Carries So Much for a Weightless Thing.” Schubert writes, “the wind is an element of life often taken for granted, but one that has always carried with it so much potential. My piece involves both literal depiction and an interaction by viewers that takes into consideration humans role in actively choosing to work with the wind to harness and convert its power into energy. Energy is called for on the part of viewer to literally “crank” the wind and cause it to blow across the image and electrical energy is used to backlight the image casting the shadows of the wind. Perhaps one day soon the electrical energy itself could be created by actual wind power! The wind shadows carry with them images of other forms of good this energy creates and will create for local economies, farmers, and a healthier environment.”

 
Posing in front of the “Wonders of the Wind” backdrop at the Baltimore reception.

 
A close-up of Ursula Populoh’s “Blowing in the Wind.” Populoh writes of her piece: “Wind is our natural environment. Wind is everything and everywhere. It can be the soft breeze we welcome on a summer day, it can be the devastating hurricane that destroys everything in its path. Wind was needed for the sails of the explorer’s ship; wind was needed for the wheels of the windmills. Wind was the power used for millenia until the so-called technological advances abandoned it. Now, we seem to have come to our senses and will harness the wind’s strength again. Fossil fuels have harmed our natural environment – wind power is a natural force to be used. We seem to be on the right path.” (Photo credit: Torianne Montes-Schiff)

 
Artwork left to right: “Power in the Wind” by Irene K. S. Whitaker; “It’s wind, hon” by Emily Tokarowski; “A Mother’s Love” by Alexandra Russell; “Harmony with the Sea” by Marina R. Feeser; and “Field Dance” by Katie Lautar.

MD Congressman Harris' Attempt To Kill Offshore Wind in Maryland is Underhanded

Move goes against interest of Maryland constituents who overwhelmingly support offshore wind 

Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, stated:
“Congressman Andy Harris is working to dismantle a years-long, inclusive process to bring offshore wind to the shores of Maryland in a rider to a bill over which Marylanders will have no say. This move is devious and underhanded — and goes against the interest of his constituents. Marylanders overwhelmingly want offshore wind because they know it would bring good jobs and boost the state’s clean energy economy.”

CONTACT: 
Denise Robbins, Communications Director; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org608-620-8819
Mike Tidwell, CCAN Executive Director, mtidwell@chesapeakeclimate.org240-460-5838

Photo at the top from Flickr user Statkraft with a Creative Commons license. 

Dominion’s Offshore Wind Announcement Undercut By Efforts To Slow Clean Energy and Push Fossil Fuels

Statement by Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network:

“We welcome the news that Dominion is making steps to bring offshore wind to Virginia. But this should have happened years ago. Dominion already lost a federal grant for $40 million for dragging its feet on the project. Will ratepayers have to foot that bill? Now, Dominion is moving forward because it has no choice — it is clear that offshore wind is an economic winner.

Meanwhile, Dominion continues to push for dangerous climate-warming fossil fuel projects like the Atlantic Coast pipeline, along with the support of Governor Terry McAuliffe. The offshore wind pilot project is nowhere near what’s needed to bring us to a clean energy economy. If McAuliffe and Dominion were truly serious about helping Virginia become a leader in clean energy, they would stop pushing for fracked-gas pipelines or offshore drilling and start focusing on expanding clean energy.”


CONTACT: 
Denise Robbins, Communications Director; denise@chesapeakeclimate.org; 608-620-8819
Harrison Wallace, Virginia Policy Coordinator; harrison@chesapeakeclimate.org; 804-305-1472

Photo at the top from Flickr user Nuon with a Creative Commons license.