With the announcement of a wind turbine test factility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Northhampton County stands to become a hub for offshore wind turbine testing, as well as a hub for offshore renewable power generation.
Last Wednesday, Poseidon Atlantic, announced the project to build 10 test pads with turbines rising as high as 750 feet in elevation. The electricity generated from the testing facility will be tapped into grid own by Old Dominion Power, and is expected to be online in late 2012 or early 2013.
An article in the Newport News Daily Press, reports
Supporters of the project, including Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, the Virginia Port Authority and others, say it could spur a wave of economic development projects in the area, including increased port activity, manufacturing and assembly centers and research facilities dedicated to offshore wind.
Lt. Gov. Bolling believes that while the project will first only hire 25 new employees, it stand to create another 5,000 new green jobs over the long term, and become a hub for manufacturing and testing for wind turbines for future siting off the Atlantic seaboard.
The industry’s enthusiasm for the testing center, has already led to bookings good through seven years.
Moreover, with simple fact a major east coast testing center is situated on Virginia’s Delmarva Pennisula, one might expect a growing interest by industries for a greater offshore project, someday down the road. One of the project’s partners, Ecofys, is already the lead partner in the Netherlands 12 turbine offshore testing project, soon to be in operation in 2012.
For enthusiasts of smarter energy for Virginia, this announcement points towards a great sign, through responsible leadership progress is being made behind the scene to increase our state’s clean energy portfolio, but more importantly, to do so with market-sustaining resources.
For more details check out the Daily Press link: http://articles.dailypress.com…
For the press release from the Governor of Virginia, go here http://governor.virginia.gov/n…
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
