Paulsboro, New Jersey has been selected by developers of the Atlantic Wind Connection (AWC) backbone transmission project as the headquarters for the project’s manufacturing facility, NJ Spotlight reports.
As explained by director of AWC’s marine operations Bill Wall, who voiced the company’s strong commitment to working in New Jersey while addressing the present at a conference on renewable energy in New Brunswick, New Jersey abounds in potential for development of offshore wind industry. Accordingly, the location has great wind resources offshore, a gently sloping ocean floor perfect to accommodate the wind turbines and competent labor force to drive the development forward, NJ Spotlight cited Bill Wall as saying.
AWC plans to assign USD 2 billion worth investment for the Paulsboro project, which, if given the “green light“, would boost employment in the region.
Nevertheless, companies willing to invest in the sector cannot realize their projects unless the state devises a financing program to direct subsidies from New Jersey ratepayers to the offshore wind farms.
The AWC backbone is led by well-established independent transmission company Trans-Elect with Atlantic Grid Development as the project developer and Google, Bregal Energy. According to the plans, the 300-mile-long transmission system will be able to connect up to 7,000 MW of offshore wind, enough power to serve approximately 1.9 million households.
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Offshore WIND Staff, December 6, 2012; Image: atlanticwindconnection