Gov. Janet Mills and a group of state officials will travel to Norway and Denmark next week to learn more about offshore wind development in those two countries.
During the six-day trip, Mills and her delegation plan to visit floating offshore wind turbines in the North Sea and meet with Norwegian and Danish government officials as well as energy industry representatives. The group plans to speak with Denmark’s top minister for climate initiatives and representatives for the operator of that country’s electricity grid.
According to the governor’s office, the delegation will also tour a seaport in Esbjerg, Denmark — which is the country’s largest port — to hear how the facility has “supported responsible growth of offshore wind while supporting its significant fishing industry.”
Mills has said the Gulf of Maine’s abundant wind resources offer a “historic opportunity” to generate more electricity from renewable sources while creating good-paying jobs. But her efforts to jumpstart an offshore wind industry face stiff opposition from some groups, most notably Maine’s powerful lobster industry. Fishermen contend that the floating platforms could bar them from important lobstering grounds.
The Mills administration’s proposal to locate an offshore wind seaport and manufacturing facility on Sears Island has sharply divided local residents and environmental groups.
“Maine is well-positioned to unlock the power of offshore wind to generate clean and affordable homegrown energy, reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, protect our environment, advance our climate goals, and create good-paying jobs in a global industry expected to grow in the coming decades,” Mills said in a statement. “I look forward to learning from Norwegian and Danish leaders about their experiences building a successful offshore wind industry while balancing crucial maritime interests and industries and to promoting Maine, our substantial advantages, and our hardworking people.”
Maine recently receive federal approval for a research lease in the Gulf of Maine for up to 12 floating turbines developed by a collaborative that includes researchers at the University of Maine. That project is still subject to additional federal review, however.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
