New Jersey wind port in Salem County aims to jump start state as hub for wind business
Officials say the goal is to bring economic activity to the area of south Jersey, which has struggled in the past.
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The New Jersey wind port in Salem County aims to jump start the state as a hub for wind business.
The state invested half a billion dollars in direct aid for the project, along with $1B in federal tax credits to the first tenant, Danish wind giant Orsted.
Officials say the goal is to bring economic activity to the area of south New Jersey, which has struggled in the past.
“We're talking about creating jobs in New Jersey that support the entire regional offshore wind effort,” said Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan.
Republican state Sen. Edward Durr represents the area in the state Senate. He and other Republicans are critics of offshore wind amid deaths of marine mammals, though Durr says the estimated 1,500 jobs coming to the area are a positive.
“We have things here we should be doing instead of passing out hundreds of millions of dollars to a foreign company and putting it on the backs of New Jersey citizens,” he said.
Officials say phase 1 on parcel A is 75% complete, with much more design, manufacturing and construction work planned over the next three to four years.
“Getting the first project up, running, out generating electricity and clean energy for the state is really important,” said Sullivan.
