Val Stori

Offshore wind excitement is growing in the Northeast with the recent arrival of foundations for Deepwater Wind’s Block Island offshore wind farm.

Offshore wind advocates and industry were dealt a discouraging setback when news of Cape Wind’s terminated utility contracts hit the press.

A little over a year ago, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) began construction of the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, a multi-purpose facility designed to support offshore wind deployment on the Atlantic coast.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ (BPU) decision last week to reject the Fishermen’s Energy offshore wind project is another setback to building an offshore wind industry in the US, but at heart really points out a Catch 22—how do you get jobs in a newly emerging industry that requires substantial upfront public capital before those jobs are present?

One major cost reduction mechanism for US offshore wind project development is minimizing project risk, especially in the construction phase of project development.

October was an energized month for the offshore wind industry. While U.S. regulatory and policy mechanisms supporting offshore wind are still uncertain, things are looking brighter for offshore projects in general.

Last week’s offshore wind conference hosted by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) brought together over 800 attendees, including industry leaders, policy makers, investors, consulting firms, manufacturers, environmental organizations, and other wind energy enthusiasts.