PROJECT WILL GROW STATE’S ECONOMY, FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING
Newark, NJ – The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has chosen Garden State Offshore Energy, a joint venture between PSEG and Deepwater Wind, to build the state’s first offshore wind farm. Once completed, the project will be among the first offshore wind farms in the nation, positioning New Jersey as a leader in creating new “green jobs” and tackling global warming.
“The solutions to our current energy crisis are literally blowing in the wind,” said Matt Elliott, Global Warming and Clean Energy Advocate at Environment New Jersey. “Now we can begin to harness more of the renewable energy at our fingertips. We commend President Fox, the Board of Public Utilities, and Gov. Corzine’s administration for their leadership.”
Following similar moves by Delaware and Rhode Island, New Jersey joins the growing list of Northeast states that are embracing wind as a clean, renewable technology that can meet energy needs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear power. This project alone will generate enough electricity to power 90,000 NJ households every year.
“More than ever, it is clear that our current energy sources are unsustainable and unaffordable,” Elliott said. “Today’s announcement moves us away from dirty power and toward a new energy future. It’s a big step in the right direction.”
In 2005, New Jersey passed a law requiring that 20% of the state’s electricity come from clean, renewable sources by 2020. Given New Jersey’s extensive shoreline, offshore wind could be a significant part of the state’s renewable energy portfolio. In fact, studies have shown that New Jersey and other Mid-Atlantic states have some of the best offshore wind potential in the nation.
“To fight global warming and move away from fossil fuels, we need to go big on wind,” said Elliott. “Moving forward, we encourage Gov. Corzine and the BPU to support additional offshore wind projects, and to do it quickly. We’ve have tremendous wind potential, and a number of wind companies in New Jersey. We should put them to work.”
A recent study conducted by the Center for American Progress shows that investment in renewable energy could create as many as 2 million new jobs in the US. New Jersey alone could see 57,000 new jobs by promoting wind farms, solar installations, and other renewable technologies in the state.
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