Green Energy Goals Drive Economic Opportunity
There’s a changing landscape for Green Energy. A White House announcement in February committed $100 million in funding to support low-carbon energy technologies. State and local governments up and down the Eastern Seaboard are committing to clean energy goals, some setting timelines for reaching 100% of energy derived from green sources.
2020 was a banner year for the wind industry. Developers commissioned 16,913 MW, representing an 85 percent increase over 2019, according to American Clean Power’s 2020 report.
On March 18, the Chamber will host a Virtual Forum: The forum will examine opportunities and impacts for our region. Industry experts will lead discussions on offshore wind energy, including economic development on and off the water, investments in local infrastructure, and workforce expansion and planning.
The forum spans three sessions related to our region. Representatives from Eversource Energy and Orsted, who are leading the wind project in New London, will provide an overview and updates. Tony Appleton, Director of Offshore Wind for Burns & McDonnell, and Paul Vigeant, CEO of OSW Advisers, will offer economic, engineering, and environmental perspectives. The final session covers State Pier development updates.
“Gaining an understanding of this unique economic driver is essential for eastern Connecticut,” said Tony Sheridan, Chamber president and CEO. “Our region has natural assets and a manufacturing base that position us well to benefit from this burgeoning industry. We are pleased to be able to bring together this forum and have conversations exploring this opportunity and the potential long-term impacts.
More details about the event are available here. Sessions begin at 9:45 a.m. and the forum concludes at 1 p.m. Register to attend individual sessions for $10 each or for the whole day for $25.