The Biden administration has approved Maine Gov. Janet Mills' plan to create the nation's first offshore wind power system dedicated to researching clean energy. [emphasis, links added]
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has approved the lease The project covers 15 miles of federal waters in Maine and includes building a dozen floating windmills about 30 miles off the coast.
It will be the first project dedicated to researching how to develop the technology in a sustainable way without impacting the state's commercial fishing industry. Specific details of the lease agreement have not been released.
Mills said the project will help “make Maine a leader in responsible offshore wind, balanced with our state's ocean economy and environment.”
“Offshore wind clean energy provides a historic opportunity for Maine to create good-paying jobs, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” she said in a statement.
The research array will use floating offshore wind platform technology designed by the University of Maine and its partner Diamond Offshore Wind.
Maine's floating platform VolturnUS recently received a $12.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for its innovative design, according to the Mills administration.
Environmental groups said the move would help reduce carbon emissions and diversify the state's energy mix Reduce overall reliance on fossil fuels.
Maine sets ambitious goals 80% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2050the Mills administration said wind power would play an important role. …
However, Wind power has faced resistance from commercial fishermen, who say the move would close fishing grounds and harm a multibillion-dollar industry.
Nearly 75% of Maine's commercial lobster fishery occurs in state waters.
Legislators and the Mills Administration A ban on offshore wind development in state-managed waters was enacted this summer.
They also called on the Biden administration not to pursue offshore wind projects in the fertile fishing grounds of the state’s coastline.
Top image by Michael Roy from Pixabay
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