Bianca Sanchez, bianca.sanchez@sierraclub.org
BARNSTABLE, MA. – Massachusetts residents joined in the global celebration of clean, renewable wind energy Saturday at the Cape Cod is Ready for Offshore Wind Rally. 100 people attended the Global Wind Day rally at Craigville Beach Saturday afternoon. Together, the crowd enjoyed the beachy Saturday with remarks by speakers on the pressing climate crisis and the critically positive role offshore wind can play in mitigating its impacts.
More than any region in the country, New England stands to benefit greatly from offshore wind development. Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island have set out to develop 9 GW of offshore wind by 2030. Should the three states achieve their goal, according to a recent study by Synapse Energy and Sierra Club, New Englanders can expect to save an average of $630 million to $1.3 billion on annual electricity costs. The added clean energy would also result in a 42% cut in annual CO2 emissions from the New England power sector and provide $362 million in annual public health benefits.
At the rally on Saturday, State Senator Julian Cyr, Barnstable Town Council Member Gordon Star, and representatives from Sierra Club Massachusetts and Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative delivered remarks in support of increased development of offshore wind along the coastline.
Following the rally, Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter Director Vick Mohanka released the following statement:
“By achieving the tri-state 9 GW offshore wind goal, we could provide Massachusetts and our neighbors with clean and renewable energy that bolsters our grid reliability, energy savings, and emission-reduction efforts. Added offshore wind would also help to protect our families and businesses from the dangers of gas price volatility and negative health and climate impacts. Power is blowing in the wind. It is time we harness wind energy and reap the multitude of its community and climate benefits.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.