America touts itself as being a leader of the free world, but it has been lagging behind other countries with its approach to renewable energy. The oil and gas lobbies in America are strong and well-established, but the Biden administration fought back with tax credits and incentives to motivate American corporations and cities to invest in renewables. Baltimore, Maryland is benefiting from this initiative by setting up a wind farm just ten miles off the coast.

Offshore wind has had a hard time gaining a foothold in America even though Europeans love it

America has 95,471 miles of coastline and very few offshore wind farms. Compared to Europe, America is not taking advantage of this prime real estate for generating renewable energy. The United Kingdom has the most offshore wind farms, but the Netherlands and Germany are catching up. Citizens in those countries say that sustainability is a top priority.

Environmental activists in Maryland have lobbied for offshore wind for many years. They see what’s possible in places like the United Kingdom, and they want to join the clean energy revolution. However, it has taken city-wide efforts and a collaboration between the local and the federal government to get an offshore wind farm project started in the state. Residents of Baltimore are relieved that the state is finally going to begin construction on the wind farm, giving Marylanders a chance to enjoy clean wind energy.

Winds are stronger at sea, which is why Maryland residents have been fighting for turbines on their coast

Wind energy is a 100% clean source of electricity, but it isn’t always reliable. On land, the wind can blow at different speeds throughout the day, making it difficult to predict how much electricity will be produced. This is different at sea. Because the ocean is flat on the surface, the wind doesn’t hit any obstacles and tends to blow much harder for much longer periods of time.

Renewable energy activists in Maryland have understood this phenomenon for years, and they have been talking with local officials to try and make it happen. When the Biden administration announced more support for renewable energy projects, the Maryland state government finally decided to invest in an offshore wind farm. Residents of the state are happy about the increase in clean energy resources, but they’re also looking forward to the boost for the local economy as the project is likely to increase jobs in the area.

Wind farm 10 miles from Baltimore will feature 114 turbines and generate 2 GW of energy

The new offshore wind farm near Baltimore will have 114 turbines, four substation platforms, and a weather tower. Together, these turbines will be able to generate 2 GW of energy, which is enough to power more than 700,000 homes. Baltimore has a large population of more than 585,000 people. The offshore wind farm will make more than enough electricity to power the homes in town.

The Maryland state legislature hopes to be generating 8.5 GW of wind energy from offshore turbines by 2031, but this will require more wind farms than there are now. One positive development is that Maryland hopes to open a local factory to produce parts for offshore wind farms. This will introduce more jobs to the region and make it cheaper to set up and install wind turbines off the coast of Maryland.

Detractors of offshore wind say that it ruins the view out to sea, and environmental activists decry the negative impacts on marine ecosystems. New research is being done to invent new wind turbine designs that will minimize the effects on sea life, but for now, Maryland residents are happily celebrating a renewable energy milestone in their state.