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OFFSHORE WIND FARMS
THE BLOCK ISLAND WIND FARM’S 600-foot turbines stand like sentries along the coastal horizon, their blades slowly slicing through the sky. In 2016, the five-turbine project whirled to life generating enough energy to power 17,000 homes. A two-turbine pilot project for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm stands just off the coast of Virginia Beach. In March of 2021, the Biden administration announced a goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030. This support for offshore wind farming is a boon to developers who already hold leases in Eastern seaboard locations. After more than a decade of planning, a May 2021 approval of the Vineyard Wind Project will allow developers to erect 62 turbines off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard with the capacity to power 400,000+ homes. What at one time seemed like a far-reaching concept, the offshore wind industry is finding its stride along our Eastern coastline.
RENEWABLE ENERGY WITH PERKS FOR BOATERS AND ANGLERS BY TERI MILLER
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