What are the environmental benefits of wind power?

 

New Jersey is already experiencing the impact of climate change, as warmer weather causes more frequent and severe storms and flooding, disrupts farming and makes chronic conditions like asthma and heart disease more dangerous for the most vulnerable.

​

Wind power is an advanced technology that has been reliably supplying clean, affordable electricity into the utility grid for decades. The United States has an abundant supply of wind energy, which is highly efficient. Harnessing wind power is crucial to end our reliance on foreign oil and meeting our climate goals.

 

At the same time, moving to a clean energy future will have positive health impacts, particularly on low-income communities and families of color who have disproportionately borne the brunt of our fossil fuel past. By switching to clean sources of energy like offshore wind we’ll be helping to reduce the incidence of asthma, heart disease and cancer in environmental justice communities like Newark, Trenton, Patterson, Jersey City and Perth Amboy.

 

How can we be sure that offshore wind is going to be developed responsibly?

 

Offshore wind projects are subject to extensive reviews at the federal, state and local levels before they construction can begin.

 

The federal government, through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, requires extensive environmental studies.

 

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, which negotiates with developers to provide electricity to the grid, ensures that local businesses and working families are protected by thoroughly reviewing the financial terms of the deal.

 

And other agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection, monitor the onshore impacts of construction by supervising the laying of cables through environmentally sensitive areas and along the coast.

 

How would offshore projects impact ocean ecosystems and wildlife?

 

Wind energy and wildlife can thrive together. Wind projects are built in ways that protect the natural environment in the areas where they are constructed.

 

Each offshore wind project must undergo extensive environmental review before construction begins. And vessels engaged in offshore wind development are required to have marine mammal observers on board for an additional layer of protection.

 

Neutral scientists have repeatedly demonstrated that New Jersey’s offshore wind developments will have a minimal impact on wildlife and are being responsibly development.

 

The BPU and DEP have also announced several scientific initiatives, including: Mid-Atlantic cold pool modeling, whale aerial surveying, whale satellite tagging, bat and bird tracking, and sea turtle analysis. These studies will further ensure wildlife safety as we move to a clean and renewable energy future.

 

At the same time, we know that climate change poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems, and we know that offshore wind can play a critical role in curbing climate pollution to protect marine wildlife for generations to come.

 

Isn’t offshore wind a new industry? Shouldn’t we wait for more studies before moving forward with any major developments?

 

Offshore wind might be relatively new to the United States, but countries around the globe have been taking advantage of the benefits of offshore wind for decades.

 

The projects being proposed along the Jersey Coast take advantage of the lessons learned from these earlier projects. And they utilize the latest technology to protect wildlife and keep costs down for New Jersey families and businesses.

 

While study after study demonstrates that responsibly developed offshore wind will have minimal impacts on ocean wildlife, we know that there’s a growing cost of doing nothing, as climate change fuels increased flooding and damages fragile ecosystems.

 

We can’t afford to listen to the fossil fuel industry, which is motivated by greed. It’s time to break our addiction to foreign oil that pollutes our communities and instead double down on a clean energy future.

​

What impact will offshore wind have on our economy?

 

New Jersey has a historic opportunity to lead the nation in the adoption of offshore wind. Governor Murphy, the state Legislature and the Board of Public Utilities are working with offshore wind developers to position our state to be a hub of offshore wind development up and down the East Coast.

 

That means that New Jersey-based companies will be creating economic opportunities for communities across our state and that union workers will be building this industry out for years to come. This is why many leading labor unions have come out strongly in support of offshore wind development.

 

But because we’re competing against other states, it’s essential that we move quickly on offshore wind in order to maximize the environmental benefits.

​

What impact will offshore wind have on our energy bills?

 

Moving to a clean energy future that includes offshore wind will provide New Jersey families and local businesses with long-term protections against price spikes caused by aggressive foreign countries, like Russia, that control much of our oil and gas supply.

 

Switching to clean energy will save our state money as fewer children are forced to go to emergency rooms to treat asthma attacks and fewer seniors experience heart conditions or suffer from cancer caused by dirty fossil fuels.

 

In the short term, the state Board of Public Utilities is working to keep costs of our clean energy transition down by negotiating strict contracts with offshore wind developers. When fully complete, New Jersey’s offshore wind farms will cost families and local businesses a few dollars a month at most.​

​

What is the visual impact of the wind turbines?

 

Offshore wind turbines would have, at most, a minor visual impact. When an onlooker looks into the horizon on the clearest day, the onlooker may perceive a small wind turbine many miles off the coastline.

 

Most days of the year, wind turbines proposed off the Jersey coast will not be seen from short at all.

 

That minor impact pales in comparison to the benefits of offshore wind. By transitioning to clean energy, we’re going to be protecting communities along the Shore that are being threatened by rising sea levels and more frequent storms. We’re going to be creating union jobs to deliver economic prosperity in towns across our state. And we’re going to be improving air quality and addressing the public health impact of dirty fossil fuels across New Jersey, particularly in poorer urban areas.

​

How would offshore wind projects impact fishing?

 

Offshore wind developers engage with the commercial and recreational fishing industries and invest in being good neighbors. Developers work with local communities to ensure a clean, renewable energy industry along with a thriving fishing industry. Wind developers work to minimize disruption of fishing activities during all phases of development and maximize ease of access and safe navigation for fishing during wind farm operations.