US Developer Offers to Move Offshore Wind Farm to Keep Tourists Happy

At various public hearings where project developer US Wind has informed people about its proposed offshore wind farm, an overwhelming majority spoke out in favour of offshore wind energy. Nevertheless, the company is willing to make compromises regarding the site of the project. In an open letter to the city council of Ocean City (8,000 inhabitants), the company has now proposed to move their planned offshore wind farm eight kilometers further east to reduce visibility of the turbines by 35 percent. The region in Maryland is heavily dependent on tourism and so obviously they want to counteract any complaints at an early stage.

The example of the Cape Wind project has apparently shown what will hapen when industries do not try to get the consent of the local population in time. There, a planned offshore wind farm has been prevented by local residents for more than 15 years, with the project being haressed by lawsuits.

The state of Maryland on the north-east coast of the United States has recently decided to ramp up their offshore wind industry in order to create jobs in the region. The majority of the population supports this decision and is committed to further invest in renewable energies.

"We welcome the opportunity to work with public officials and partners to ensure that we bring the best possible project to Maryland," said Paul Rich, US Wind's director of project development. "We hear the Ocean City Council loud and clear and want to demonstrate a willingness to improve the project by working with the City Council and Mayor."