US Wind Works for Delaware

OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS WILL IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE, JOBS, AND RESILIENCE

BY MIKE DUNMYER

My dad served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, so I grew up moving around the country. Fortunately, my grandmother bought a small cottage in Dewey Beach in 1947, and that’s where I spent my summers. That Dewey cottage was an emotional touchstone for me and was the one constant in my life. As a result, I saw Sussex County as home and decided to raise my family here.

Over time I’ve discovered what’s special about the area. I’ve found that history and legacy matter, and I know that offshore wind can play an important role in protecting Sussex County’s assets. The fact is that rising sea levels are already affecting us.

Flooding is an issue for every coastal town, and arable farmland is being lost to saltwater inundation. The situation will continue to worsen unless we act. Current models predict local sea levels will rise another 12 – 18 inches by 2055, and the Delaware Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee projects that we’ll lose 8% of our land if they rise beyond 24 inches. Thus, the decisions we make now will determine what kind of Sussex County we leave to our children and grandchildren.

One of the most impactful things we can do is transition to clean energy, and offshore wind can be developed at utility scale off our shores. US Wind is planning to deliver over 1,700 megawatts of offshore wind energy in its federal lease area along the Maryland coast, which could power more than 600,000 area homes while displacing over 4.4 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. This is an important step in preserving the coast we love, and making it happen will bring major economic benefits to Sussex County and the state.

US Wind plans to connect its energy to the grid in Dagsboro and will invest roughly $200 million in local electrical infrastructure to make that possible. Rather than passing those costs to ratepayers, US Wind will foot the bill. This will make Sussex County’s grid more reliable and scalable, while creating jobs for local electrical workers.

US Wind will also utilize Delaware companies in its construction supply chain. Delivering 1,700 megawatts to the local grid will also reduce capacity and congestion costs for local utilities, which is projected to decrease electricity costs for Delaware residents and businesses by $253 million over 20 years.

US Wind is also investing in Delaware’s future. First, US Wind will give the state 150,000 free renewable energy credits (RECs) annually for 20 years to meet its renewable portfolio standards, which will defray $76 million in costs that would have been passed on to ratepayers. US Wind will also contribute $40 million to programs such as dredging in Delaware’s coastal areas, clean energy workforce development training at Delaware schools, an environmental education scholarship fund, and a resiliency fund for state park climate change projects.

Like me, US Wind wants Delaware’s communities to continue to thrive and will work to strengthen local economies and ecosystems.

Mike Dunmyer is the Delaware development manager at US Wind.