Wind energy opponents celebrate wind farm’s demise, while others say it’s a bump in the road to cleaner energy
Danish energy developer Orsted announced Tuesday it was pulling out of its Cape May County wind farm project.
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There are differing opinions about Danish energy developer Orsted pulling out of the wind industry in New Jersey. While opponents of offshore wind are celebrating a victory, environmentalists say it’s just a stumble during the growing pains of a new energy source for this region.
Orsted said because of supply chain issues, interest hikes and inflation, they had to cease the development of the wind farms which would have been located off the Cape May County coast. This does not affect the planned Atlantic Shores project off of Long Beach Island.
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“We can only hope that Atlantic Shores can see the writing on the wall that they are not welcome here in New Jersey,” said Duane Watlington, who founded Vacation Rentals Jersey Shore on Long Beach Island. “We don’t want them off the coast. It will affect tourism and learn from what Orsted figured out that it’s just not economically feasible to build them here."
“Just like any new industry, there are some hiccups in the beginning and that’s what we are seeing here – an industry getting off its feet and coming into its own,” said Jennifer Coffey, the executive director of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commission.
Orsted still controls the lease to the seafloor off Cape May County and will consider its options moving forward.
