Blustery winds are a routine part of daily life in Avalon, no matter what the season. Whether you are an avid cyclist, a tennis player, a beachgoer anchoring your umbrella or a homeowner securing your trash from wind and seagulls, we all know that a strong gusty wind may wreak havoc with your plans! Our local weatherman, Nick Pitman, known affectionately as Nor’easter Nick, reports on wind status often.
Governor Murphy’s clean energy initiatives are aimed at utilizing offshore wind as a key source of energy. On January 31, 2018, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 8 directing the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) to fully implement the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA) and begin the process of moving the state toward its 2030 goal of 3,500 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind- energy generation after an eight-year delay.
Apparently, New Jersey has some of the best conditions in the world for offshore wind development. Ocean Wind, a Danish company, is one of the three companies who officially submitted bids on December 28, 2018 to New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to build an offshore wind farm 15 miles off the coast of Atlantic City, NJ. Click here for a December 29th Herald article / press release announcing the Ocean Wind bid.
The Board of Public Utilities is in the process of reviewing the three applications for this project and expects to announce an award at the end of June. AHLOA will keep a close watch on where the wind blows and keep our members updated with details of the NJBPU decision. Additional information concerning Ocean Wind will be provided in the upcoming AHLOA April newsletter.
