Liz Burdock, CEO & President, Business Network for Offshore Wind
The offshore wind energy industry is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in the country, with developments taking place in states such as Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and California, advancing almost every day. Offshore wind farms are huge and complicated energy generation facilities but largely unknown by the general public in the U.S., so it is important the public has complete and clear information rather than myths about this new, renewable technology.
For this reason, the Business Network for Offshore Wind (the Network) has created a new website, “Whyoffshorewind.org” created specifically for the general public. The website explains how offshore wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity that can power entire cities, the economic benefits of offshore wind farms, and the environmental impacts.
As the offshore wind industry expands in the U.S., we are getting more and more questions on how offshore wind turbines and wind farms work, and what effects they will have on the energy marketplace, the ocean environment and coastal tourism. The WhyOffshoreWind site is a venue for handling these questions from trusted resources.
The dedicated website covers six key topics:
- How it Works
- Clean Energy
- Job Creation
- Price of power
- Viewshed
- Hurricane Resilience
WhyOffshoreWind uses information from multiple independent sources, especially the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U. S. Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management, academic Institutions and independent entities. It includes an additional section with dedicated links to resources for those who want to get more technical information.
The website has been reviewed by peer review participants including: the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), US DOE, , US BOEM, Sumner law office, and the University of Delaware. “Whyoffshorewind” will continue to be updated and reviewed as the industry produces more information.
You can access the WhyOffshoreWind site at whyoffshorewind.org and it is designed to be a living site that evolves over time. Please contact the Network with any additional questions or suggestions you may have as you explore the site.
The Network will also be adding a brochure and stand-alone website customized for New Jersey offshore wind Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at the Time for Turbines III event on Friday, August 16, which will provide additional industry information in a question and answer format.