Passage of Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 Unleashes Opportunity To Lead The Emerging U.S. Offshore Shore Wind Industry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2013
MEDIA CONTACT
Liz Burdock, Managing Director
Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind
209 Butler Road, Reisterstown MD 21136
Cell: (202)403-7507
Email: liz@bizmdosw.org
More than 100 companies, five Maryland agencies, the British Government, and Heinrich Boell Foundation from Germany will gather to launch Maryland’s offshore wind industry
Baltimore, MD: Maryland businesses, Maryland Energy Administration, Maryland Port Authority, Maryland Higher Education Commission, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, Maryland Public Service Commission, and the British government will participate in Offshore Wind=Onshore Jobs: A Supply Chain Forum on April 4th to coalesce their ideas and business experiences in order to apply it to offshore wind in an effort to create a new industry that will serve the mid-Atlantic and other parts of the Eastern Seaboard.
Offshore wind is the only scalable clean energy source using proven technology in Maryland to meet the State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard of 20 percent by 2022. The importance of offshore wind has grown beyond clean energy generation to subsequent interests in environmental attributes, climate and economic development and the business opportunities.
“As focus shifts from policy to project there is different and wider work needed to be done including building a strong foundation of businesses, who can build out the supply chain required to support the wind farm development,” said Mark Rice, Maritime Applied Physics Corporation, a Baltimore-based mechanical and electrical system design firm.
“This forum will help businesses understand where the opportunities lie. It will also provide a platform for Maryland state agencies to ensure that the State’s business and workforce are given every opportunity to participate and prosper with this new growth opportunity.” remarked Abigail Ross Hopper, Senior Energy Advisor to Governor Martin O’Malley. “Jointly, we must draw in greater Federal participation to parallel the magnitude of benefits witnessed in Europe.”
The State has started to prepare for this new industry. Maryland Energy Administration is surveying the lease block area prior to the developers’ award by Bureau of Oceans and Energy Management. The Maryland Port Authority is taking inventory of our infrastructure and – starting discussion for preparing Baltimore for the initial lay-down area.
“This is the time businesses can work together and utilize offshore wind as the beacon for Maryland’s Clean Energy. As Maryland builds its reputation for cyber security and biotech, offshore wind could stand along side these business sectors as Maryland’s flagship clean energy industry” said Liz Burdock, managing director of the Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind.
The Maryland Higher Education Commission has released an RFP to help Maryland’s public educational institutions join the ranks of those in other states and countries that have leading interest in offshore wind. Maryland Department of Labor is putting in place training programs to prepare workers for the manufacturing jobs that will result from this industry.
“Governor O’Malley is mindful of the opportunity that offshore wind potentially brings Maryland and its workforce. We will be working with county and city officials to help develop effective and meaningful skills development and training, appropriately staged for the different phases of the offshore wind farm,” continued Abigail Ross Hopper.
For more information regarding the event as well as the Coalition’s efforts, visit www.bizmdosw.org.
Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind
The Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind (BizMDOSW) serves two equally important purposes: education and support for developing an offshore wind industry in Maryland. The Coalition has more than 130 members. It assists businesses in building capacity to position themselves in order capture the business opportunities that will arise through the MD Offshore Wind Energy legislation as well as other state and federal efforts to establishing an offshore wind industry in the US.
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For Immediate Release:
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Past Press Releases:
New Business Coalition Seeks to Focus Maryland’s Industry on Offshore Wind Opportunities to Foster Jobs and Economic Growth
January 26, 2012
Media Contact
Liz Burdock
Executive Director
Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind
Email: info@bizmdosw.org
www.bizmdosw.org
Baltimore, MD: A new coalition of small and large businesses is forming to help the State of Maryland develop a strategy for offshore wind that will take advantage of the economic development potential for the state. It will hold its first meetings in a forum tomorrow in Baltimore at the American Brewery Building.
Maryland remains at the forefront to become one of the first states to install an offshore wind farm on the Atlantic coast. Location and experience in developing emerging industries matter when locating new offshore wind technologies and industries. Many in the state are considering the new opportunities that may arise from offshore wind development for Maryland’s existing business community. Offshore wind could provide many companies traditionally supplying services and components to other markets with a variety of new opportunities for growth and economic development.
The Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind (BizMDOSW) intends to help by engaging Maryland Businesses through communication events and direct outreach to identify supply chain opportunities. The BizMDOSW will also assist companies already in the wind energy to identify ways to accelerate a robust offshore wind market for Maryland. It will look to support and to promote local industry in the form of developed link in order to enhance the state’s supply chain for an emerging new technology sector.
“Maryland should continue to work towards becoming one of the first states to deploy offshore wind; it will put us in the best position for job creation in this new industry,” says Ross Tyler, organizer of the newly-formed Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind. “Among the policies that could best support Maryland’s offshore energy efforts would be the use of a technology set aside for energy derived from offshore wind energy to help accomplish the goals of the state’s renewable energy portfolio standard program.”
Partnering with Humanim, one of Maryland’s largest nonprofits, the Coalition’s workshop will provide Maryland business community members with information and insights into the types of companies that will be needed to build this new offshore wind industry and to dialogue directly with industry experts. According to Jeffrey Smith, Director of Public Affairs and Resource Enhancement for Humanim, “our organization welcomes the chance to partner for this initiative, as offshore wind has vast potential for creating family-sustaining jobs for Marylanders of all skill levels who are seeking employment.”
The work shop will cover topics that range from wind energy farm development, to wind turbine and supply chain needs, to work force development needs to foster an emerging industry within the state.
The Coalition will also preview a report prepared by BVG Associates that will be released in the near future. BVG is a consulting firm with expertise in the wind and marine renewable electricity generation systems, including offshore wind supply chain analysis and development.
“Maryland has excellent offshore wind resources but firm action needs to be taken soon. If it can demonstrate that it wants to be a leading player in the US market, then businesses in the State have a great opportunity to exploit a rapidly growing market and build up experience and skills that can then be exported to other states and abroad,” says Chris Willow from BVG Associates in the UK, which is assisting the Business Coalition to identify the range of opportunities offshore wind will bring Maryland.
More information about the event and the Coalition’s efforts can be found at www.bizmdosw.org.
Business Coalition for Maryland Offshore Wind
By assisting Maryland companies to identify alternative, high-growth market opportunities within the offshore wind energy sector, BizMDOSW aims to provide information that help the business community understand the full opportunities within the offshore wind sector, which in turn will enable the state to grow into a renowned clean energy hub for offshore wind business resources and skills. This will both enhance Maryland’s economy and assist the region in its move towards a smart green and growing economy. BizMDOSW is managed by the Clean Energy Group (CEG), a national U.S. nonprofit organization that promotes effective clean energy policies, develops low-carbon technology innovation strategies and works on new financial tools to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions. CEG concentrates on climate and clean energy issues at the state, national and international levels, as it works with diverse stakeholders from governments as well as the private and nonprofit sectors.
Humanim
Humanim has over 40 years of success providing workforce development, mental health, neuro-rehabilitation and developmental disabilities services to those most in need across Maryland. Today, Humanim has expanded that vision to create a sustainable economic model for the provision of workforce development services combining occupational skills training, business development and social enterprise. The new model sprung from a visionary project that board and staff undertook in one of the most impoverished areas in East Baltimore. Our services have grown to provide support for the growing and diverse needs of the people and communities we serve.