USA: Icebreaker Offshore Wind Project Gaining More Public Support

Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) is gaining more and more public support for its Icebreaker demonstration offshore wind project.

Via the POWER Pledge, people can sign up and take the pledge to purchase a portion of their electricity from America’s first freshwater offshore wind project, located on Lake Erie. So far, more than 3,000 people pledged to do this, the News-Herald informs.

LEEDCo launched the POWER Pledge to estimate the amount of support that the offshore wind project would get from the community, without an obligation or cost for them to sign up. However, those who took the pledge will be the first in line to get clean energy from the Icebreaker, once the turbines are up and running in 2017.

The company also wants to encourage local power suppliers to make electricity from offshore wind available to their customers.

In addition, LEEDCo is organizing a public event called “POWER UP for Offshore Wind Energy” on August 22 at the Cleveland Convention Center, which will allow people to learn more about the Icebreaker project.

The Icebraker demonstration project involves the installation of six 3 MW Siemens wind turbines in Lake Erie, approximately 7 miles off the coast of Cleveland. It is expected that the project will create 525 construction, installation and permanent jobs.

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Offshore WIND Staff, August 15, 2013; Image: spqrpublicrelations