Wind Energy – Permanent Suspension
Last Friday, President Donald Trump announced that the temporary suspension of offshore wind farm development off the New Jersey coast would become permanent.
Trump made the comments in a campaign phone call for New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli.
He had previously cast doubt on the industry’s future when he suspended new federal offshore wind leasing, pending an environmental and economic review. He said that wind turbines are ugly, expensive, and harmful to wildlife.
New Jersey is among the nation’s top offshore wind states. Governor Phil Murphy set a goal of installing 11,000 megawatts by 2040 as part of his agenda to “boost clean energy and combat climate change”.
In its fourth solicitation, the state sought up to 4,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity. However, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced that two of the three original bidders had withdrawn, leaving only Atlantic Shores — a joint venture between Shell and the French company EDF — in the running.
Atlantic Shores received federal approval from former President Joe Biden’s administration last year. According to the US Interior Department, the Atlantic Shores South wind project is expected to generate up to 2,800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power close to one million homes.
