USA: Denmark Shares Offshore Wind Knowledge with Maryland

Denmark makes its expert knowledge available to the State of Maryland which plans to build an offshore wind farm off the US East Coast. Expanding deployment of renewables contributes to achieving the goals in President Obama’s Climate Plan.

United States is the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases. But President Obama wants with its climate action plan to reduce CO2 emissions by 17 percent by 2020 compared to the level in 2005. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley recently introduced a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in his state 25% by 2020. A 200 MW offshore wind project will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by over 378,000 tons per year and promise improved public health outcomes, cleaner air and cleaner water. The President’s Climate Plan includes a goal to issue permits for 10 GW renewables on public lands – including federal seabed. This is equivalent to 25 times the size of Anholt Offshore Wind Farm.

Several US states are planning to take advantage of the good wind resources off US coasts but so far none of the projects have materialized to mature wind farms contributing to the US power grid. This is partly due to uncertainty on tender conditions and operation that have prompted most investors to stay away.

 “Wind resources off US coasts are estimated at more than 4,000 GW, so there is a huge potential to reduce US emissions if this energy is utilized. Denmark has experience with the whole process when it comes to establishing and operating offshore wind farms. We wish to share that knowledge with the energy regulators in Maryland. At the same time, we can help to give President Obama’s climate plan is a small but important push in the right direction “, says Minister for Climate, Energy and Building Martin Lidegaard.

In the National Budget 2013, the Government and the Alliance set aside five million Danish Kroner [approx. USD 1 million] over two years to establish bilateral cooperation with one or two industrialized countries. The funds will primarily be used to remunerate Danish energy experts and to a lesser extent external advisors. The offshore wind farm off Maryland has been selected as the first project.

The fulcrum of our cooperation will be issues related to regulating and managing the risks associated with Maryland’s tender for establishing a offshore wind farm of 200 MW, about 20 km off-coast from the popular tourist destination Ocean City. The implementing regulation for the offshore wind farm must be prepared by next summer and it is expected that other US coastal states with plans to exploit the wind resource could benefit from the experiences generated though the cooperation between Denmark and Maryland.

“In Maryland, our better choices have led to better results that will benefit the economy and the health of future generations,” said Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. “Taking action on offshore wind positions our State for greater job creation and opportunity, while moving us forward toward a more sustainable energy future. By forging international partnerships to advance this promising clean energy technology we strengthen our economy and competitiveness while ensuring the sustainability of our people and our planet.”

Denmark has unique expertises when it comes to offering, building and operating offshore wind farms. Also our companies are among the world leaders in wind energy. Minister Lidegaard hopes that the Danish companies will utilize these strengths and seek new opportunities in the US market.

 “We have experienced that cooperation between authorities on energy sector policies, such as energy efficiency and renewables, can also prime the ground for Danish companies with world-leading products and solutions. So I have no doubt that an initiative like this, as a positive side effect to the significant mitigation potential, will also help to create growth and jobs here at home”, says Martin Lidegaard.

Press release, October 15, 2013