In a letter to Obama, Maryland governor Martin O’Malley and Delaware governor Jack Markell proposed that their states join with federal agencies to offer 1GW of power purchase agreements (PPAs) for offshore wind.
They said such federal agencies could include the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration (GSA), which manages government buildings.
"The proximity of Washington, DC to the mid-Atlantic’s wind resources... creates an exceptional opportunity," the governors wrote.
"This [proposal] would create the economies of scale necessary to significantly reduce the cost of offshore wind development, attract manufacturers of offshore wind equipment and installation vessels, and develop high-paying green jobs for our workers," they added.
Maryland has already offered a long-term contract to buy 55 MW of offshore wind, the letter said.
Bluewater, the most advanced proposal for a wind farm off the Delaware coast, has a 25-year PPA with Delmarva Power & Light for 200MW of its proposed 450MW.
The governors, both Democrats, also asked Obama to support legislation allowing the GSA to enter into PPAs of longer than ten years.
They said such federal agencies could include the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration (GSA), which manages government buildings.
"The proximity of Washington, DC to the mid-Atlantic’s wind resources... creates an exceptional opportunity," the governors wrote.
"This [proposal] would create the economies of scale necessary to significantly reduce the cost of offshore wind development, attract manufacturers of offshore wind equipment and installation vessels, and develop high-paying green jobs for our workers," they added.
Maryland has already offered a long-term contract to buy 55 MW of offshore wind, the letter said.
Bluewater, the most advanced proposal for a wind farm off the Delaware coast, has a 25-year PPA with Delmarva Power & Light for 200MW of its proposed 450MW.
The governors, both Democrats, also asked Obama to support legislation allowing the GSA to enter into PPAs of longer than ten years.
