Wind power project near A.C. down, not out, backers say

ATLANTIC CITY – The proponents of the Fishermen's Energy windmill project won't take no for an answer, and a new report says, for the sake of our planet, they shouldn't.

"More Wind, Less Warming" contends that generating 30 percent of our nation's electricity from wind power by 2030 could eliminate the equivalent of the pollution created by 254 coal plants or 200 million cars.

"America and the world must reduce emissions of climate pollution dramatically in the years to come if the world is to avoid the worst impacts of global warming," the 27-page study reads.

However, its authors, the Frontier Group and Environment America Research & Policy Center, acknowledge that such an ambitious goal would require cooperation from not just the federal government, but individual states, such as New Jersey, which has been hesitant to advance its most developed wind project.

The report's release coincided with a groundbreaking for an onshore cable box that is designed ultimately to connect to the offshore turbines of the thrice-denied Fishermen's project, which is set for another appeal in March. This was not happenstance.

Most recently, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in November rejected the wind power project, which would begin with five windmills three miles off the Atlantic City coast in state waters, saying that viability of the project was dubious and could end up being subsidized by ratepayers.

"The potential of New Jersey's off-shore wind is too strong to ignore," said Doug O'Malley, the director of Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center. "The BPU's attempt to stall and deny off-shore wind is painfully transparent. We are optimistic that Fishermen's Energy court challenge will succeed in making history off of Atlantic City."

O'Malley says Gov. Chris Christie's administration is fearful of engaging in meaningful strategies to reduce industrial pollution.

Just four years ago, Christie signed into law the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act in an attempt to the development of wind power off the coast and the governor himself referred to "the responsibility to future generations" and potential economic benefits of renewable energy.

In October 2008, then Governor Jon Corzine called for New Jersey to generate 13 percent of it's electricity from wind by 2020. That was later trimmed down by nearly two-thirds to a goal of 1,100 megawatts by 2020. In September, New Jersey drew less than 3 percent of its power from renewable sources, including solar, hydroelectric and wind, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

While wind has no fuel costs, the EIA notes that the capital costs associated with wind energy continue to make it a more expensive fuel source than fossil fuels. O'Malley says that as we become more familiar with the technology costs will decrease.

"But, yes, even if it ends up costing more, it's worth it," he said, referring to environmental and health costs that he says could be avoided with the investment in wind power.

In 2012, greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. totaled the equivalent of 6,526 million metric tons of carbon-dioxide, or 14.4 trillion pounds, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. About one-third of that has historically come from electric power generation, and the "More Wind, Less Warming" report says meeting the 30 percent threshold — which would require all advanced-stage projects to meet their current timelines and then strong supportive policy from multiple levels of government — would remove 968 million metric tons of pollution from the air.

Separately, the EPA predicts that by 2030 global emissions of carbon dioxide will reach more than 39,000 metric tons as improvements in the U.S. and Europe are dwarfed by China's growing gap as the worst polluter and increasing contributions by India and other still-developing countries.

The U.S. needs to lead the way, and New Jersey can be a part of that, O'Malley said

"The record is clear that there will be no agreements on climate as long as America remains disengaged or non-committal to reductions," he said.

Russ Zimmer: 732-557-5748, razimmer@app.com