 | By Eileen WollOffshore Energy Program Director |
This piece was originally published in the Spring 2018 issue of the Virginia Sierran, the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter's quarterly newletter. The full issue can be found here.
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Offshore wind can provide clean energy at the scale we need to curb the climate crisis. Dominion’s wind energy area off our Virginia coast can produce 2,000 megawatts of clean energy—enough to power over 500,000 Virginia homes.
Yes, you have heard these fantastic numbers before. We’ve talked and talked about offshore wind for years. But now with a new administration in office and exciting movement on offshore wind in other states, it’s time to dust off Dominion’s cobwebs and act.
The Sierra Club Virginia Chapter has recently commissioned BVG Associates Ltd. to produce a Vision for Virginia Offshore Wind. This vision report will very concisely lay out a case that 2,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2030 is not only doable but cost effective and highly beneficial to the commonwealth with its clean energy generation and its job creation. The vision report will be directed to a political readership, inspiring the Northam administration and other decision makers to act.
Working with the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Vir]ginia Offshore Wind Coalition, the Virginia Chapter has also presented Gov. Northam with a briefing paper on offshore wind that includes the recommendation that he tap certain administrative agencies to develop a master plan for its development. While the master plan rolls out how we develop offshore wind, the vision paper spells out why we develop it and is a document that we will use to inspire the offshore wind industry to become stakeholders in working with the administration to develop and implement the master plan.
Too many in Virginia consider offshore wind to be science fiction—something too far off in our future toconsider. This mistaken mentalityhas been subtly supported by Dominion as it has sidelined offshorewind in favor of its pipeline and gas plant projects for several years. Ourvision paper challenges Dominion and reengages stakeholders to pressure decision makers to instead prioritize offshore wind.
Please visit our newly relaunched website https://www.va4wind.comfor all the latest and greatest news on offshore wind, including action you can take to support it.