Last week at its monthly Hampton Roads Planning District Commission meeting, a new organization, the Virginia Offshore Wind Energy Coalition, introduced itself and presented a report regarding the status of Atlantic coast offshore wind projects, the economic development opportunities for Hampton Roads, and their legislative strategies for the 2010 General Assembly. (Click here to read entire report.)

According to the report, the Department of Energy estimates long term offshore wind energy potential off Virginia’s shoreline at 6572 megawatts. The Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium (VCERC) estimates the near term offshore wind energy potential at 3500 megawatts with a capital investment of up to $10 billion.

The Federal government’s Mineral Management Services (MMS) released its offshore renewable energy development regulations in June this year. Already two companies have submitted lease applications for projects off Virginia’s coasts.

Capital investment in the East Coast offshore wind energy industry for the coming 10 years is expected to be in excess of 15 billion. And everyone up and down the Atlantic seaboard wants a piece of this action.

New Jersey and Rhode Island head the pack with potentially the first commercial utility scale projects expected to be online as early as 2012. Procurement of wind turbines, installation vessels and other main components of these first projects will occur in the coming 6-12 months.

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Check out my LTE as it appeared in today’s Virginian-Pilot (with added byline, different photo and embedded link to our ACES “Take Action” page:

Ground zero in wind energy

Virginia is blessed with offshore wind, which could power as much as 20% of the commonwealth. The technology for offshore wind exists today and has proven commercially viable elsewhere in the world. Each wind turbine consists of more than 8,000 parts, which translates to thousands of good-paying, secure jobs. The U.S. holds a majority of the patents involved with solar energy systems. Yet those solar energy parts are primarily produced in Europe, which drives up the costs for systems sold in the U.S. Thus, we don’t see solar panels on as many homes and businesses as we should. The ’shot in the arm’ investment provided by the American Clean Energy and Security Act would get these systems produced right here, right now.

Meanwhile, of all the places in the U.S., the effects of climate change are felt hardest here in Hampton Roads with billions of dollars of our assets vulnerable to sea level rise and greater storm surges. But from problems come solutions, and Virginia could be a national leader in renewable energy production. Congress must pass the ACES Act, and Rep. Glenn Nye must lead the charge.

Eileen Levandoski
Sierra Club, Virginia chapter
Virginia Beach

Local small-business leaders and residents of Hampton Roads gathered at Solar Services Inc. in Virginia Beach to learn more about the potential for expansion of their businesses and further job creation as a result of investment in a clean energy economy, as could be provided with passage of a strong American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act.

The event was organized by MoveOn and the local Sierra Club group. Participants also included a representative from Congressman Glenn Nye’s office. Hampton Roads citizens are calling on Senators Warner and Webb and Rep. Nye to pass a strong clean energy jobs bill.

As I pointed out in my remarks, the ACES Act presents an opportunity to not only clean up global warming pollution by holding polluters accountable, but to also simultaneously and very quickly drive a shift in U.S. energy production toward cleaner, cheaper sources, like wind and solar, which are key to solving both our environmental and economic crises.

More specifically we here in Hampton Roads stand to reap a tremendous amount of benefit with passage of a strong ACES Act with both its investment in renewable energy production and its curbing global warming pollution. Hampton Roads is blessed with ideal offshore wind energy potential. Meanwhile, of all the places in the U.S., the effects of climate change are felt hardest here in Hampton Roads with $ billions of our assets vulnerable to sea level rise and greater and greater storm surges battering our coast.

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As I wrote about here in August, clearing all legislative hurdles, Delmarva Power inked a deal with Blue Water Wind whereby a wind farm will be constructed off Rehoboth Beach, DE.

Last month came news that New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm took another step forward when a state agency awarded a $4 million grant to Garden State Offshore Energy to build a facility  off Ocean City, NJ. A grid of 96 turbines will generate enough juice for 125,000 homes- the first of the turbines could begin generating power by 2012.

Meanwhile in Virginia, on Wednesday this week, Minerals Management Service Director Randall Luthi will announces the first of a multi-step process for oil and gas leasing offshore Virginia. Instead of wind farms, Virginia Beach gets offshore rigs, pipelines, and stinky refineries. Instead of tapping into the Class 3 and higher winds that could easily power over 20% of the Commonwealth, and is part of a clean energy economic push that stands to bring in more than 4 times as many jobs to the Commonwealth than anything brought in via the oil/gas industry, Virginia is going to pursue a practice that contributes greatly to global warming and the sea level rise that will cause Hampton Roads to be underwater and that much more vulnerable to storm surges.

Now that’s certainly moving Virginia forward…. NOT!

An offshore wind project in Delaware has just passed the last major hurdle - getting the utility to agree to a contract with the developer. The legislature just last month passed the last legislation necessary to go forward.

“Delmarva Power signed a landmark offshore wind power deal with Bluewater Wind on Monday, agreeing to buy enough power to light 50,000 homes in Delaware for the next 25 years,” reports Delaware Online (”Offshore wind pact OK’d for Delaware”). Read the rest here.

And in even better news… a couple of days ago Maryland’s Governor Martin O’Malley in response to Bush’s push for exploration of offshore oil drilling not only condemned that push (”I think it’s dishonest. I think it’s callous. I think it’s crass.”) but enthusiastically embraced the idea of joining Delaware in supporting offshore wind.

From the Baltimore Sun:

“Maryland’s support for the turbines 11 to 12 miles off Rehoboth Beach could be crucial toward launching the United States’ first offshore wind energy project - one that potentially could produce enough power for hundreds of thousands of homes.

O’Malley’s statement of interest in offshore wind power came in response to questions at a news conference about his position on President Bush’s decision to lift an executive order prohibiting oil drilling off most of the U.S. coastline, a move that leaves a congressionally imposed ban in place.

The governor rejected Bush’s position in harsh terms - calling the argument that it would help lower fuel prices “patently false” - before volunteering that the proposed project off the Delaware coast is “one offshore effort I would like to go in on.”

So the next logical question… where’s Governor Kaine???

It’s also interesting to note that both the mayors of Ocean City (MD) and Rehoboth (DE) join Virginia Beach’s Mayor, Meyera Oberndorf, in opposing offshore drilling.