The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has announced the formation of the Offshore Wind Development Coalition (OffshoreWindDC), which will focus on advocacy and education efforts to promote offshore wind energy.
Jim Lanard, formerly managing director at Deepwater Wind, will lead the Washington, D.C.-based coalition.
‘The creation of this coalition demonstrates the growing interest in offshore wind energy in the U.S.,’ says AWEA CEO Denise Bode. ‘Offshore wind provides a great opportunity to increase the use of renewable energy, thanks to the strong and steady winds that blow off our shores and proximity to electricity demand centers, particularly along the Eastern Seaboard. Offshore wind energy is proven in Europe, and will soon be hard at work here in America, powering our economy, protecting our environment and creating jobs.’
The U.S. has vast offshore wind resources, particularly off the Eastern seaboard and in the Great Lakes. Offshore wind projects totaling more than 5,000 MW have been proposed and are in the planning or development stages in the U.S.
For example, in the U.S. Department of Energy's ‘20% Wind Energy by 2030’ scenario, officials have already assumed 54 GW of offshore wind to be included in the 300 GW of total installed wind power capacity in order to reach the 20% target.
Founding members and contributors to the OffshoreWindDC, in addition to AWEA, include Apex Wind, Cape Wind, Deepwater Wind, Fishermen's Energy, NRG Bluewater Wind, OffshoreMW and Seawind Renewable.
SOURCE: American Wind Energy Association
