BALTIMORE, MD –WindPower Monthly has named Liz Burdock, the CEO, President and Co-Founder of the Business Network for Offshore Wind, one of 2018’s “most influential and interesting” offshore wind experts around the globe. Burdock has been working to scale up offshore wind development in the US with state and federal energy officials and the offshore wind industry.
WindPower Monthly wrote about Burdock: “With the US offshore sector set to take off in a big way in the next couple of years, Burdock’s voice and experience will become evermore valuable.
“Assembling the components to kickstart the US offshore wind sector, Burdock has been working in the sustainability field for the best part of 20 years….she (also has) focused on establishing the Business Network for Offshore Wind, a not-for-profit organization to support offshore-wind development in the US.”
WindPower Monthly said its annual review of the industry’s movers and shakers finds plenty of analysts showing what needs to be done, but few policymakers making it happen. Burdock is one of them. Its selection of the personalities who have made an impact on the world of wind power reflects the growing frustration of clean-energy supporters with the political status quo.
Founded in 2014 at the state level to serve Maryland, the Network is now a national organization and has become the primary voice for US offshore wind. It currently assists US states with their offshore wind plans, including New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and California. The Network also is sponsoring its annual International Offshore Wind Partnership Forum in New York City April 8-11, 2019.
“I greatly appreciate WindPower Monthly’s acknowledgment. Offshore wind has been my mission in life, to create and sustain offshore wind to both protect the environment as well as generate jobs and reduce energy costs,” said Burdock.
“It’s important to me that we give everyone a chance, and offshore wind does just that — it employs [everyone from] lower-skilled people to highly educated PhDs.
“The Network’s purpose is to inform, educate and connect businesses, developers and global experts in offshore wind. “We want to develop a community for networking and collaboration,” said Burdock.
Burdock started her career in energy efficiency and environment-friendly measures at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The job opportunities that offshore wind can offer are a key driver in Burdock’s ambitions for the sector. She has said that the global growth rate of advanced energy is 7 percent as compared to the world’s economic growth rate of 3.5 percent in 2017.
Advanced energy within the U.S. has created 3.4 million jobs, more than twice that of the hotel and hospitality sectors, which collectively employ 1.4 million people. Today, the U.S. offshore wind industry is developing from New York to California and is on track to match Europe’s creation of 96,000 offshore wind-related jobs.
Burdock’s bio is available by clicking here.