SALISBURY – Officials from Lower Shore Wind came before the Wicomico County Council this week to seek support for wind farm projects currently planned off the coast of Ocean City.
On Tuesday, representatives from Lower Shore Wind – a coalition of public and private entities that advocate for wind energy projects in Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset counties – came before the Wicomico County Council to promote offshore wind farm projects in Ocean City that are spearheaded by US Wind and Deepwater Wind.
Last May, the Maryland Public Service Commission awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits (OREC) to both projects. The US Wind project would be located 12-15 miles off the coast of Ocean City and calls for 62 wind turbines in the first phase. Deepwater Wind’s Skipjack project would be located as close as 19 miles off the coast and would utilize 15 turbines.
The two projects have been largely debated, and opposed, by area officials and residents in recent months. Officials with the Town of Ocean City, for example, wish to see the turbines placed further to the east, while Ocean Pines’ Environmental and Natural Assets Advisory Committee requested its board oppose the planned projects.
Officials with Lower Shore Wind, however, argue that the current projects would generate economic development and job opportunities in the region.
Matthew Drew, co-founder of Lower Shore Wind, told the council on Tuesday both developers have agreed to a number of conditions that would benefit the state, including the creation of a $12-million business development grant fund and thousands of jobs, direct investment into large infrastructure and fabrication projects, and more.
“This is the part I think is exciting from an economic development standpoint for the state of Maryland …,” he said. “They can’t buy everything from non-Maryland sources, install it, and make money. There is a requirement for local content.”
Drew also argued Maryland’s location along the Eastern seaboard would be ideal for future wind farm projects.
“We’re positioned to not only serve these first two projects, but future projects up and down the east coast,” he said. “We see this as a real opportunity, certainly on a statewide basis, but we see this as an opportunity for the lower county region.”
Councilman Joe Holloway questioned the timeline for the projects.
“How far is all of this from being approved and started?” he said.
Drew said barring any action from the Maryland General Assembly – including legislation introduced by Rep. Andy Harris that will prohibit the use of federal funds to conduct reviews of site assessments or construction and operation plans for wind turbines less than 24 nautical miles from the state’s shoreline – both projects plan to be in operation by 2022.
“There are certainly some things that are being looked at right now,” he said.
“From a developer’s standpoint, they are not stopping any of their planning activities. US Wind’s OREC application says they are going to be producing power by January of 2020. That’s less than two years away. November of 2022, two years after that, is when Deepwater is planning (to produce power).”
Lower Shore Wind’s Katarina Ennerfelt told the council Maryland’s “credibility” hinges on the implementation of the two projects.
“This is a new industry to North America and there is a big part of Europe that wants to be a part of it,” she said. “This being an economic benefit depends on us being first.”
President John Cannon asked how the council could support the projects.
“If the council sees this as a benefit for Wicomico County, what initiatives should we take to advocate for this?” he said. “What would you need from this body?”
Drew encouraged the council to write letters, make phone calls and more.
“That would be extremely beneficial,” he said.
Cannon said the council will make a collective decision in the near future.
“We’ll review it at some point in time,” he said. “If the council does find that it wants to advocate for this, we might come back to you.”
