Offshore Wind Wire

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley released his 2010 Energy Agenda last week and included a strong push for offshore wind development in the state.

The governor’s initiative will “create an effective regulatory framework” to promote off-shore wind energy development and will detail the rules governing undersea transmission cables, according to a January 15 press release from O’Malley’s office.  Promoting offshore wind development was one of four objectives addressed in the Energy Agenda.

Last November, O’Malley signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Delaware and Virginia, promising to collaborate on regional offshore wind development.  In December, the Baltimore-based nonprofit Environment Maryland called on state officials to set the stage for commercial development of offshore wind in the state by 2014.

The governor’s Energy Agenda will “create an effective regulatory framework for offshore wind energy development by addressing gaps in existing regulatory authority,” the press release said.  “The legislation clarifies the Public Service Commission’s jurisdiction over transmission lines from offshore wind facilities and allows the construction of a submerged or buried renewable energy transmission line in the beach erosion control district under certain conditions.”