It’s Thursday, June 18, and New Jersey’s new offshore wind energy goals will blow you away.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy unveiled plans to build the nation’s first port serving the nascent offshore wind industry. The state is planning to transform 30 acres along the Delaware River’s Eastern Shore into an assembly arena for gigantic wind turbines taller than the Washington Monument.
The state is aiming to generate 7,500 megawatts of energy from offshore wind by 2035, enough to power half of the Garden State’s homes. State officials plan to kick off construction in 2021 and hope the site will eventually employ up to 1,500 people.
“We will take full advantage of our world-leading and central geographic location, one that is perfectly situated for offshore wind marshalling, to drive growth of a new industry right here,” Governor Murphy said during an earlier press briefing. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”
New Jersey is also getting serious about making sure that the benefits of clean energy are equitably distributed. The president of the state’s board of utilities, Joseph Fiordaliso, vowed this week to establish a new Office of Clean Energy Equity. The office would help bring solar and other renewable projects to low-income communities.
The Smog
Need-to-know basis
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