Category Archives: Offshore

BP has signed an exclusive agreement with UK renewables consultancy Quaybridge to advance its global offshore wind portfolio.

As part of the agreement, members of the Quaybridge team will work closely with BPs renewables growth business development team.

Quaybridges services for BP will be global in nature.

Quaybridge worked with the BP and EnBW teams and successfully won preferred bidder status for the Mona and Morgan Irish Sea leases in the recent UK Round 4 leasing round.

The BP/EnBW consortium and Quaybridge are participating independently in the ongoing ScotWind leasing round, which will not be in the scope of the consultancy agreement between BP and Quaybridge.

BP renewables senior vice president David Anderson said: Investing in the right skills is critical to success.

Quaybridge is trusted and respected in the offshore wind industry for their deep technical expertise and their entrepreneurial and agile spirit.

We believe this partnership will give us a cutting edge in a hugely competitive industry as we look to accelerate our global portfolio and deliver our ambition to be a leader in offshore wind energy.

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BP forges offshore partnership with Quaybridge - reNEWS

Energy giant bp has formed an exclusive consultancy agreement with UK-based Quaybridge to accelerate its growth in the offshore wind sector.

It will work with the renewables consultancy to advance its global offshore wind portfolio as part of its zero carbon growth strategy.

Quaybridge formed by renewables consultancy Everoze in 2018 previously worked with bp and EnBW and successfully got the preferred bidder status for the Mona and Morgan Irish Sea leases in the recent UK Round 4 leasing round.

David Anderson, bps Senior Vice President for renewables growth said: Investing in the right skills is critical to success. Quaybridge is trusted and respected in the offshore wind industry for their deep technical expertise and their entrepreneurial and agile spirit.

We believe this partnership will give us a cutting edge in a hugely competitive industry as we look to accelerate our global portfolio and deliver our ambition to be a leader in offshore wind energy.

bp has set a target to develop around 50GW of net renewable generating capacity by 2030 up from 3.3GW in 2020, with its strategy including plans to increase annual low carbon investment by 10-fold to around $5 billion (3.6bn) a year and also reducing oil and gas production by around 40% from 2019 to 2030.

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bp partners with Quaybridge to accelerate offshore wind growth - Energy Live News - Energy Made Easy

The University of Strathclyde has revealed a new 10m ($13.74m) project today (July 23) aiming to unlock the potential of harnessing offshore wind and marine renewable energy to produce zero carbon hydrogen and ammonia fuels.

The University will lead the multi-disciplinary Ocean-REFuel: Ocean Renewable Energy Fuels project which will explore ways of converting ocean energy into fuels for use in heating, energy storage and difficult to decarbonise transport applications.

Read more: The Scottish Cluster could have a hydrogen production capacity of 3.7GW by the mid 2030s, says report

Read more: Cromarty Firth ideally located for the UKs largest green hydrogen electrolyser, study says

The project consortium includes world-leading research teams from the Universities of Nottingham, Cardiff, Newcastle and Imperial College London.

The project is being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, industry, and the partner universities, who have also pledged a total of nine linked PhD studentships.

The Ocean-REFuel project will directly address challenges associated with energy storage, renewable heat and the decarbonisation of transport such as road, marine and aviation.

Renewable energy technologies such as wind are impacted by intermittency and production issues and this project will explore storage solutions, such as hydrogen and ammonia, that can help manage the issue of intermittent supply.

The five-year collaboration, which involves 28 industrial partners, including BP, Scottish Power, National Grid, ENI along with the UK Health & Safety Executive, will also produce a blueprint for the first integrated Ocean Renewable Fuel production facility.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change, said, The waters around the UK offer abundant prospects for clean energy. Ensuring that we can tap the full potential of our natural resources will be vital in meeting our bold climate change commitments.

As shown through our world-leading offshore wind sector, we are not only capitalising on the clean energy potential around our coastline but also the opportunities for investment, jobs creation and regional growth.

Projects like Ocean-REFuel are helping us fulfil that potential as we build back greener.

David Duguid, UK Government Minister for Scotland, said, As Glasgow prepares to host COP26 later this year, the eyes of the world will be on the UK to show leadership, creativity and innovation in the global effort to tackle climate change.

This fantastic project, led by the University of Strathclyde, will investigate the potential our natural resources hold to generate clean energy and help achieve our net zero ambitions.

Did you know H2 View is the only media publication to be recognised as an official partner of the Hydrogen Council?

This means we get exclusive columns, interviews and studies that you wont find anywhere else. Along with our featured webinars and events, H2 View is the go to global platform for the hydrogen industry.

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Ocean-REFuel project to explore offshore wind and marine renewable energy for hydrogen and ammonia production - H2 View

SEM-REV offshore test site (Centrale Nantes)

PublishedJul 19, 2021 3:15 PM by The Maritime Executive

The concept of green hydrogen production linked to offshore wind farms is going to take a major step forward as DNV launches an effort to identify and analyze the main environmental, safety, and operational risks associated with one of the worlds first offshore green hydrogen production projects. In its role as an independent energy expert and assurance provider, DNV will lead the independent research into the safety and operational risks for the proposed facility at the SEM-REV offshore test site located off the north-western coast of France.

The test site, which is located approximately 12 nautical miles off the coast of France near Saint-Nazaire, was first designed in 2011 with a prototype floating wind turbine first installed in 2018 followed by a wave energy converter prototype in 2019. Lhyfe, a producer and supplier of green and renewable hydrogen for transport and industry, and Centrale Nantes, a French School of engineering and research center, manage the SEM-REV offshore test site.

Expanding beyond the testing of power generation from floating offshore wind and wave energy, Lhyfe and Centrale Nantes announced the goal to make offshore renewable hydrogen a reality by demonstrating the reliability of an offshore electrolyze. The offshore electrolyze will be installed on a floating platform from GEPS Techno, an engineering company developing offshore renewable energy technology, and then be connected to the various sources of marine renewable energy available on the offshore test site, including the Floatgen floating wind turbine. The green hydrogen-generating system is intended to be powered by electricity from a floating wind turbine, with a target start-up date in 2022.

This is potentially a watershed project, one we are excited to be supporting during the FEED stage, says Santiago Blanco, Executive Vice-President and Regional Director Southern Europe, MEA and LATAM, Energy Systems at DNV. Proving the safety of such activities, particularly with new technologies, to gain acceptance and move them closer to adoption, is vital for the industry and stakeholders. We believe green hydrogen at-scale is the ultimate destination for the future of energy storage.

As part of the design of the new facility, DNVs will undertake workshops and technical sessions to identify and analyze the main environmental, safety, and operational risks associated with the project. Risks that will be investigated by DNV include the floating barge, fuel cells, and hydrogen production. A regulations and standards review will also be included as part of the study. Centrale Nantes is also making its research facilities available and providing support for the various regulatory, experimental, and logistical phases.

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DNV to Study Safety and Risks of Offshore Green Hydrogen Production - The Maritime Executive

Crown Estate Scotland has received 74 applications from offshore wind developers looking to secure rights to build projects across the 15 areas of seabed available for development through the Scottish Governments Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy.

The Scottish seabed manager confirmed this on 21 July, together with the timeline for next steps, including a target of making initial offers for the first option agreements to successful applicants in January 2022, with those agreements then finalised after that.

Developers will then move forward with their detailed plans and start work on various types of activities that can progress their projects. Crown Estate Scotland grants full seabed leases only once developers have all the necessary consents and planning permissions from the Scottish Government and other bodies.

Crown Estate Scotland has now begun assessing each application against the criteria laid out to applicants.

The high number of applications from developers shows just how much potential Scotlands seas hold for the future expansion of offshore wind. There is now a huge amount of work to do in assessing every application thoroughly and fairly so that the strongest projects go through to the next stage in helping to power Scotlands energy sector towards a net zero future, said Colin Palmer, Director of Marine for Crown Estate Scotland.

Option fees will then be paid by successful applicants to Crown Estate Scotland in exchange for securing the rights to areas of seabed. The maximum amount payable will be GBP 100,000 per km2 of seabed.

Revenue profit from the leasing will be returned to the Scottish Government for public spending to drive the green recovery and other Scottish Government priorities.

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15 ScotWind Areas Attract 74 Offshore Wind Applications - Offshore WIND

ALPENA, Mich. The fifth day of fishing at the Michigan Brown Trout Festival saw a first for the tournament in its 47 years of running.

At 6 a.m. on Wednesday, boats went out for the First Annual Youth Offshore Tournament, sponsored by Clark Construction Company. There were four teams that weighed fish, with winners in the categories of biggest fish and total weight caught.

Team Wirgau dominated the tournament, with Henry Wirgau catching the biggest fish in a 9.45-pound Lake Trout. The Wirgau boat, which was Henry and his brother Gus, also won the team competition, catching 26.35 lbs. of fish. Team For Reels came in second, and Kylie Gagnon, Remington Gagnon, Dillan Gagnon, and Landed Gagnon made up that team. They caught a total of 23.15 lbs. of fish.

As for the Brown Trout Tournament, the updated leaderboard is as follows:

Brown Trout

Lake Trout

Salmon

Steelhead

Walleye

Excerpt from:

First Annual Youth Offshore Tournament; updated Brown Trout Scoreboard WBKB 11 - WBKB-TV

The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads the guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey in the Gulf of Aden, July 12, 2021. (Gray Gibson/U.S. Navy)

The Royal Navy plans to bolster its Pacific presence with a visit to Japan by the U.K. Carrier Strike Group and by permanently assigning two offshore patrol vessels in the region later this year.

U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Secretary Ben Wallace met with a variety of U.S. and Japanese officials this week, including Adm. John Aquilino, head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, according to a press release Monday from the U.K. Ministry of Defence.

As we witness a tilt in power towards the Indo-Pacific region, we are committed to working with our partners here to defend democratic values, tackle shared threats and keep our nations safe, Wallace said in the release.

The British Embassy in Tokyo announced on Tuesday that elements of the U.K. strike group would be visiting ports in Sasebo, Okinawa, Kure, Yokosuka and Maizuru.

Following exercises with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in the Gulf of Aden and in the waters off Japan, the upcoming visit of the U.K.-led Carrier Strike Group to five ports across the country is a clear demonstration of our commitment to maintaining regional security and upholding the rules-based international order with Japan, Wallace said in the Tuesday release.

The U.S. 7th Fleet commander, Vice. Adm. Karl Thomas, greets the United Kingdoms Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace and Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Wednesday, July 21, 2021. (Shannon Burns/U.S. Navy)

The British Embassy also announced that the U.K. plans to permanently station two offshore patrol vessels in the Indo-Pacific region later this year, and eventually contribute a littoral response group in the coming years, according to the press release.

A Royal Navy spokesperson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The UKs defense relationship with Japan is the closest it has been in the last century, Wallace said in the press release.

The Ministry of Defence said Monday the U.K. strike group, led by the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, will take part in exercises in the Philippine Sea in August alongside the U.S., Australia, France, Japan New Zealand and South Korea.

The Queen Elizabeth would operate in conjunction with a U.S. Carrier Strike Group, although the Defence Ministry did not identify which U.S. carrier group would participate.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet, Cmdr. Hayley Sims, referred questions regarding the Queen Elizabeth and the exercises to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

The ministry said training would include anti-submarine exercises and aircraft exercises that would, when combined with a U.S. carrier strike group, represent the largest concentration of F-35 jets anywhere in the world.

The news comes a little over a week after the Queen Elizabeth, which is on its maiden deployment, conducted a large-scale exercise in the Gulf of Aden on July 12 with the USS Ronald Reagan strike group, the Dutch frigate HNLMS Eversten and the amphibious assault group lead by USS Iwo Jima.

The BBC reported 100 cases of COVID-19 aboard ships of the U.K. Carrier Strike Group on July 14, including on the Queen Elizabeth.

Wallace at the time said crew aboard four ships were infected, the Japanese defense ministry spokesman said July 16.

All crew members have been vaccinated and those infected are getting tested every day, the spokesman said, citing Wallaces statement. The infected crew members were isolated, and the ships were to remain at sea for about two weeks, the spokesman said.

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UK to bolster its Indo-Pacific presence with offshore patrol vessels, littoral response group - Stars and Stripes

Leading Companies in the global offshore wind power market are Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy S.A., MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, Senvion S.A., Adwen, ABB Ltd., General Electric, Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Co., Nordex SE, Goldwind, Envision Energy, Suzlon Energy Limited, Hitachi Ltd.

Pune, India, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global offshore wind power market size is anticipated to reach a capacity of approximately 94 GW by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 19.2% during the forecast period. The growth is primarily attributable to the rising investments in wind power projects. Favorable government policies are also complementing the market growth. Fortune Business Insights has presented this information in their report titled, Offshore Wind Power Market, 2019-2026. The market size stood at 23 GW in 2018.

Offshore wind power is one of the most valuable renewable energy sources worldwide. The market has gradually been gaining traction and is expected to witness substantial growth in the forthcoming years. The global market comprises countries like U.K., Denmark, Germany, China, and Belgium as the leading territories.

Request a Sample Copy of Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/offshore-wind-power-market-100148

List of Key Players in Offshore Wind Power Market:

Report Scope & Segmentation

Report Coverage

Details

Forecast Period

2019 to 2026

Forecast Period 2019 to 2026 CAGR

19.2%

2026 Installed Capacity Projection

94 GW

Base Year

2018

Installed Capacity in 2018

23 GW

Historical Data for

2015 to 2017

No. of Pages

120

Segments covered

Installation, Water Depth, Capacity and Geography

Growth Drivers

Rising Investments to Augment Market Growth

China to Emerge as Global Leader

Strategic Collaborations to Offer Lucrative Growth Opportunities

Higher Turbine Capacity to Gain Momentum in the Global Market

Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this Market.

Story continues

Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/offshore-wind-power-market-100148

COVID-19 Impact-

The coronavirus pandemic has restrained the growth of many industries and markets, including the offshore wind power market. The pandemic has resulted in a decline in power consumption as many industries remain shut due to lockdowns, curfews, and social distancing norms. The pandemic has delayed projects, and the investments have also declined, inflicting a negative impact on the market. However, favorable government policies regarding wind energy production are expected to attract investments in the upcoming years. The reduction in the cost of wind power is also expected to propel the market growth post-pandemic.

Segmentation-

Based on the installation, the market divides into floating structures and fixed structures. On the basis of water depth, the market bifurcates into above 30m and up to 30m. Based on capacity, the market trifurcates into Above 5MW, 3MW to 5MW, and up to 3MW. Geographically, the market is categorized into prominent countries; U.K., China, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, U.S., Sweden, Netherlands, Vietnam, Spain, South Korea, France, Japan, Ireland, and the Rest of the World.

Report Coverage-

The report offers quantitative and qualitative insights into the prospected market.

The report offers a detailed analysis of the growth rate and market size.

The report provides information on various segments of the global market, such as water depth, installation, capacity, and geography.

The report also incorporates SWOT Analysis and PESTLE Analysis.

Drivers & Restraints-

Rising Investments to Augment Market Growth

As the world has limited supplies of non-renewable energy sources, it has become crucial to adopt renewable energy sources. Evolution in energy and power generation through technology has paved new ways for the offshore wind energy industry to grow. Several countries are formulating favorable government rules and regulations that are anticipated to drive the market growth further. Additionally, the installation costs have declined as the efficiency of offshore wind energy units has improved due to advance technology. Increasing investments in the sector will further propel market growth.

However, high maintenance costs are likely to act as a restraint to offshore wind power market growth.

Speak To Our Analyst: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/offshore-wind-power-market-100148

Regional Insights-

China to Emerge as Global Leader

The U.K. currently accounts for holding the lions share in the global installed offshore wind power market. China is anticipated to emerge as a global leader due to upcoming projects and ongoing construction projects. China had reportedly installed about 40% of the global offshore wind energy in 2018. The trend is likely to surge in the upcoming years, and China will likely hold the highest offshore wind power market share. Countries like India, Japan, Taiwan, U.S., and Vietnam are a few emerging countries in the global market.

Competitive Landscape-

Strategic Collaborations to Offer Lucrative Growth Opportunities

In the highly fragmented landscape of the offshore wind energy industry, key players are focusing on innovating product offerings and introducing products that convey more efficiency and incur low installation and maintenance costs. Major players are adopting collaboration and partnerships in order to strengthen their market position. For instance, Senvion S.A. collaborated with Renexia to install 30 MW offshore wind farms in the Italian Mediterranean Sea in March 2019.

Industry Developments-

July 2019: Vattenfall won a tender to install a zero-subsidy offshore wind farm. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy facilitated turbines of 10 MW rated capacity, producing a total output of 760 MW.

March 2019: Royal Dutch Shell collaborated with Van Oord and Eneco for two projects based in the Dutch part of the North Sea.

Quick Buy - Offshore Wind Power Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/100148

Major Table of Contents:

Introduction

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Market Restraints

Market Opportunities

Key Insights

Key Emerging Trends For Major Countries

Latest Technological Advancement

Regulatory Landscape

Porters Five Forces Analysis

Cost Comparison Analysis By Different Component of Wind Turbine

Global Offshore Wind Power Market Analysis (MW), Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026

Key Findings

Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Installations

Fixed Structure

Floating Structure

Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Capacity

Up to 3 MW

3 MW to 5 MW

Above 5 MW

Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Water Depth

Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Region

U.S.

U.K.

Germany

France

Spain

Sweden

Denmark

Netherlands

Ireland

5.5.10. Belgium

5.5.11. China

5.5.12. Japan

5.5.13. South Korea

5.5.14. Vietnam

5.5.15. Rest of the World

U.S. Offshore Wind Power Market Analysis (MW), Insights and Forecast, 2015-2026

Key Findings

Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Installations

Fixed Structure

Floating Structure

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Offshore Wind Power Market to Exhibit a CAGR 19.2% by 2026 to Reach a Capacity of 94 GW by 2026 - Yahoo Finance

The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance has another grant from the federal government to bring experts together on how the big push for developing offshore wind power will affect U.S. fisheries.

The latest $155,000 award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will fund a second Synthesis of the Science symposium, this time on how floating offshore wind turbine may interact with fisheries.

It follows on a $150,000 grant the agency awarded to RODA a coalition of commercial fishing groups and communities in 2020 to conduct a first-of-its-kind symposium on the current science regarding fisheries and offshore wind interactions.

RODA says the next session will focus specifically on floating wind turbines now foreseen as the offshore wind industrys future frontier for waters beyond the shallow outer continental shelf.

Maine state energy planners see huge potential power coming from the windswept Gulf of Maine, and propose a test area for floating turbines anchored in deep water. Maine has started planning to apply for a lease from the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for that project.

Meanwhile BOEM is working closely with the administration of California Gov. Gavin Newsom to plan floating turbine arrays off the West Coast.

RODA, BOEM and NOAAs National Marine Fisheries Service entered a formal agreement in 2019 to collaborate on science, research, monitoring, and the planning process for U.S. offshore wind energy development.

RODAs constituent fishing members are often at odds with BOEM and wind power developers over rapidly expanding plans to build turbine arrays, now numbering 16 projects off the East Coast, and the Biden administration promising swift progress on environmental impact reviews.

The group says its cooperative study efforts aim to help local and regional fishing interests become better involved in the offshore wind development process, and ensure that the interests and concerns of fishermen are communicated effectively.

"The floating turbines study will continue our collaborative work identifying what we know, and dont know, about this newer form of technology being proposed for deployment in highly productive fishing regions, said Fiona Hogan, RODAs research director. The next workshop will cover physical oceanographic factors, ecosystem effects, fisheries socioeconomics, and methods and approaches.

This project is a key step toward jointly building regional fisheries and offshore science agendas in areas where floating wind technology is proposed, according to RODA.

We are pleased to be a strong partner with RODA and to support its effort to identify the research we will need to build a unified fisheries and offshore wind science plan, said Dr. Cisco Werner, director of scientific programs and chief science advisor for NMFS in a joint statement with RODA.

Participants in the project are expected to include commercial and recreational fishermen, Tribal Nations, fishing industry representatives, NOAA and BOEM experts, wind energy developers, federal fishery management councils, states, and other expert scientists from the U.S. and Europe.

Continued here:

NOAA grants $155,000 to examine floating offshore wind and fishing - National Fisherman

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) New Jersey is moving aggressively to become the leader in the fast-growing offshore wind energy industry on the East Coast, but not everyone is blown away by those ambitious plans.

While the states Democratic political leadership is solidly behind a rapid build-out of wind energy projects off the coast it has set a goal of generating 100% of its energy from clean sources by 2050 opposition is growing among citizens groups, and even some green energy-loving environmentalists are wary of the pace and scope of the plans.

The most commonly voiced objections include the unknown effect hundreds or even thousands of wind turbines might have on the ocean, fears of higher electric bills as costs are passed on to consumers, and a sense that the entire undertaking is being rushed through with little understanding of what the consequences might be.

Recreational and commercial fishermen have long felt left out of the planning for offshore wind, much of which will take place in prime fishing grounds.

Similar concerns have been voiced by offshore wind opponents in Massachusetts, France and South Korea, among other places.

Adding to the unhappiness is a bill passed by the state Legislature and awaiting action by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy that, aside from granting them a public hearing, would remove virtually all control from local communities over where and how the power lines come ashore.

Theyre still learning about this, and were the guinea pigs, said Rick Bertsch, who is active with a group of Ocean City residents opposed to three offshore wind projects already approved off their city.

Danish company Orsted said in a statement that it is fully committed to growing the New Jersey offshore wind industry sustainably. Our teams have held multiple open houses and are committed to meeting with stakeholders in the community to educate them on the countless economic, environmental, and community benefits of offshore wind.

The company said it is committed to protecting the marine environment, and already has altered the planned layout of its turbines in one project after input from fishing groups.

Most environmentalists and some business groups strongly support offshore wind as a clean, renewable power source as the nation and the world try to transition away from burning fossil fuels. They say the wind farms will generate power that would otherwise be generated by burning coal or natural gas, helping to address climate change and that the rapid pace of development is crucial to addressing climate change before it becomes irreversible.

Many of the opponents, particularly in flood-prone Ocean City, say they believe climate change is real and that a warming planet and rising seas are threats that must be addressed.

And while many agree that continuing to burn fossil fuels will only make things worse, some opponents wish New Jersey would proceed more slowly and deliberately, learning as it goes.

Three projects capable of generating enough electricity to power 1.6 million homes have already been approved by state regulators and many more are on the way. New Jersey plans to solicit additional projects every two years until 2028.

There will be about 285 turbines built for those three projects, the state says.

Why push this through, trampling all over the rights and desires of the people, without fully hearing from all stakeholders, considering all the financial, ecological, socioeconomic consequences? asked Suzanne Hornick, a leader of the Ocean City opposition. Its going to be an industrial site out there.

She worries residential customers could pay much higher prices for electricity than they do now.

Orsted said the first New Jersey project would raise the average residential customers bill by $1.46 a month. The state says its second project would add another $1.28 to residential bills. Atlantic Shores Offshore Winds project would add $2.21 a month to residential bills.

The Block Island wind farm, one of two currently operating in the U.S., has had its growing pains, including a cable that was not buried deep enough in the sea bed, got loose and had to be reburied. Ratepayers are paying part of the cost through a surcharge.

Most of Ocean Citys council opposes the offshore wind projects, even as officials in many other communities embrace the technology as an environmental and economic boon. Last week, 110 elected officials from around the state signed a letter supporting what they call responsible offshore wind development.

One common criticism is visual pollution, the idea that the turbines will be visible from the shoreline and ruin pristine ocean views. Developers say the turbines, projected to be about 10 to 20 miles (16 to 32 kilometers) offshore, will be visible on the horizon under clear weather conditions, but less so during foggy or hazy conditions.

A residents group called Go Green and Unseen wants the turbines moved 35 miles (56 kilometers) offshore so they will be invisible from the shore.

And while many environmental groups support offshore wind, that support is not universal, nor unqualified. Clean Ocean Action, New Jerseys leading ocean advocacy group, says it supports offshore wind, but wants to see a demonstration project first, to study and learn from the results.

These first proposals off the Jersey Shore are massive and total over 1.16 million acres about the size of Grand Canyon National Park, and a law is pending to block communities concerns, said Cindy Zipf, the groups executive director.

If we dont get this right, we may learn too late that the Great Offshore Wind Boom of the 2020s accelerated the ecological collapse of this ocean realm, the billion-dollar economies it supports, and its ability to help buffer climate change, she said. To assuage the sins of our fossil fuel past, we must take care not to act recklessly, threatening the very goose that lays the golden eggs our vibrant, giving ocean.

___

Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC.

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They're not blown away by NJ's offshore wind power plans - Associated Press