On Monday we reported that the first offshore wind turbine in the US is approved for installation off the coast of Virginia.
Today, we heard that demonstration wind turbines have also been approved off the New Jersey coast.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued environmental permits to Fishermen's Energy to build a demonstration-scale 6-turbine wind farm near Atlantic City.
In four years, Fishermen's Energy Offshore Wind Project will be followed by a utility-scale project 12 miles offshore in federal waters.
"We must begin now with the State Water's Project, to build the confidence of the public, the environmental community and financiers, to make larger utility scale projects a reality. There are no operating offshore windfarms in America yet; this can be a first for New Jersey and the country," says Daniel Cohen, President of Fishermen Energy.
The project will result in over 200 wind jobs in construction and 15-20 permanent jobs.
The company says it's begun pre-construction environmental monitoring, which will continue through construction and commissioning, providing the data needed to plan larger plants further offshore.
Fishermen's Energy was founded by New Jersey commercial fishermen to respond to the public's need to develop offshore wind resources while protecting the fishing industry.
The company says it partners with experienced professionals in the offshore wind business to propose, plan and build responsible projects to serve the public's need for renewable energy.
Here's their website:
