Wind energy could generate two-thirds of the electricity people in Maryland currently use according to a new report funded by the Abell Foundation. It calls for installation of 2900 turbines far enough offshore so landlubbers can't see them.
Land-based wind farms generate controversy, perhaps one reason why coastal states including Maryland are looking offshore to quench the nation's growing appetite for alternative energy.
The Baltimore-based Abell Foundation study, written by researchers at the University of Delaware's Center for Carbon-free Power Integration, shows a turbine network installed in shallow waters 28 to 43 miles off the Maryland coast could generate enough electricity for the state to eventually become a net-exporter of wind energy.
The Baltimore Sun's Timothy Wheeler cites Jeremy Firestone, lead author of the study who says: "There is, if Maryland so chooses, a significant opportunity to develop a very robust offshore wind energy economy and create a new economic and job base in the state."
A Maryland state energy analyst says the reports confirms his agency's own findings on the potential of offshore wind. Though there are no plans to "carpet" Maryland waters with huge wind turbines, the Governor's office has asked state lawmakers to change coastal protection laws to allow power cables to be strung ashore from from turbines.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands
An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.
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