As testament to the momentum of the clean energy movement, the U.S. Department of the Interior recently approved New Jersey's Atlantic Shores South offshore wind energy project, as Renewable Energy Magazine reports. With this project finally given the go, the country has now approved more than 13 gigawatts total of offshore wind capacity.
"The Biden-Harris administration is building momentum every day for our clean energy future, and today's milestone is yet another step toward our ambitious goal," DOI Secretary Deb Haaland said, in a statement quoted by the news outlet.
New Jersey has joined its New York neighbors in developing a clear path toward a more sustainable future through this particular type of renewable energy generation. The former's plan will include the two new facilities: Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1 and 2, which are expected to provide a total of 2,800 megawatts to state residents once completed.
Officials also gathered feedback from discussions with the public, Tribes, agencies, and ocean users, to name a few. As the article shared, this will help "avoid, minimize or mitigate the potential impacts of the project, including visual impacts and potential impacts to marine life and to existing ocean uses such as fishing."
This project is great news for the planet, as these cleaner power sources will help reduce our reliance on dirty fuels, which contribute to global heating, and studies have shown that the more renewable energy projects we install, the lower power costs will be.
In addition to the milestone in New Jersey, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has already held five lease sales for offshore wind energy development since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, with additional leases planned through 2028, per a recent DOI news release.
Taxpayers benefit financially from these leases, since they're all publicly owned, and green projects are much more lucrative than dirtier ones. As the Center for American Progress shared, the average offshore oil and gas lease per acre is $47 compared to $5,906 from offshore wind.
Overall, we're headed in the right direction, with the International Energy Agency noting that clean tech investments were growing rapidly in 2023 — and noting that spending on clean energy tech and infrastructure globally this year is forecast to nearly double the investment expected for dirty energy sources. Research and development for speeding our green energy transition through wind power specifically has government funding.
"Our clean energy future is now a reality — thanks to President Biden's Investing in America agenda, we are addressing climate change, fostering job growth, and promoting equitable economic opportunities for all communities," Haaland said, per Renewable Energy Magazine.
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