CNN: In another sign of growth in the ocean wind business, the American Wind Energy Association — the leading trade group for wind in the U.S. — drew more than 400 participants this week at an offshore wind conference in Delaware, about double the expected attendance, Bornholdt noted. In terms of the first possible offshore project in the U.S., Delaware appears to have jumped to the front of the line to tap into nation’s vast ocean wind resource, some 15 years after Europe led the way with the world’s first major offshore projects.
Bluewater Wind of Hoboken, N.J., which proposes to build turbines with 40-foot blades about 12 miles off the coast of the state, marked the first wind developer in federal waters to ink a power purchase agreement for its project. Over the summer, the unit of Babcock & Brown inked a 25-year electric power supply contract with public utility Delmarva Power, a unit of Pepco Holdings Inc. (POM). Bluewater said the project could generate 450 megawatts, enough for 110,000 homes.
That project, along with several others for the coasts of New York, California, Rhode Island and New Jersey, as well as separate bid by Cape Wind for Nantucket Sound in Massachusetts, are moving to the front burner. New federal rules will help clear the way for several of them. MORE