Obama fast-tracks Mid-Atlantic offshore wind energy

article by Wendy Koch, USA TODAY, posted on Greenhouse:http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/02/us-mid-atlantic-offshore-wind-energy-/1?csp=34&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

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CAPTION: A wind turbine stands generating power next to Hull, Mass., High School in the shadow of Boston on Feb. 24, 2006. It took eight years for Cape Wind, the nation's first offshore wind farm near Cape Cod, Mass., to win approval, prompting the Obama administration to announce that it will streamline the process.
PHOTO BY Stephan Savoia, AP
The Obama administration announced plans Monday to spend $50 million to speed the development of offshore wind farms, aiming to lease wind farms off four Mid-Atlantic states by the end of this year,

The Interior Department said it will expedite environmental reviews for four wind projects off the coasts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. This spring, it expects to identify other wind energy areas off Massachusetts, Rhode Island and the South Atlantic region, notably North Carolina.

"This initiative will spur the type of innovation that will help us create new jobs, build a clean energy future and compete and win in the technologies of the 21st century," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in the announcement, which notes President Obama's goal of generating 80% of U.S. electricity from clean energy sources by 2035.

Wind advocates called for a streamlined process after it took eight years for the Cape Wind project off Cape Cod, Mass., to obtain a lease as the nation's first offshore wind farm. That project faced opposition from Indian tribes, some environmentalists and residents, who argued it threatened marine life and ruined ocean views.

Salazar said the wind farms identified Monday -- all off major tourist destinations, including Atlantic City, N.J.; Ocean City, Md.; and Virginia Beach, Va. -- would be 10 to 20 miles offshore so they shouldn't mar vacationers' views, according to the Associated Press.

The Department of Energy said it would spent up to $25 million over five years to support the development of innovative wind turbines, up to $18 million over three years to study how to optimize the wind market and up to $7.5 million over three years to fund more cost-effective turbine drive trains.

"Offshore wind power holds incredible potential to drive our energy and economic engine forward while reducing pollution," Sean Garren, clean energy advocate for Environment America, said in a statement welcoming the news. "Nations around the world have already proven the effectiveness of this resource. If we do not move quickly, we risk falling behind."

Empire State Building Switches To 100% Renewable Energy

Relayed at http://www.care2.com/causes/global-warming/blog/empire-state-building-will-use-100-percent-renewable-energy/

...and reproduced here!

Article follows:
Caretakers of the Empire State Building announced that the architectural icon recently set a new standard for excellence by becoming the largest commercial purchaser of renewable power in the state.

According to the New York Times, the Empire State Building will purchase over 50 million kilowatt-hours worth of renewable energy certificates annually — enough to cover its yearly electricity consumption.

The two-year renewable energy contract was purchased from carbon offset retailer Green Mountain Energy Company (recently acquired by NRG Energy New Jersey), and will be sourced through wind power facilities.

The iconic building occupies about 2.85 million square feet and is estimated to use approximately 55 million kilowatt-hours of energy each year (Seer Press). By offsetting all of its electricity consumption, the Empire State Building will avoid 100 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

That's the equivalent of:

•Nearly every house in New York State turning off all their lights for a week;
•Taking approximately 40 million fewer cab rides; or
•Planting nearly 150,000 trees--more than 6 times the number of trees in Central Park.

In July 2010, the Empire State Building unveiled a $2 million interactive, multi-media sustainability exhibit at the second floor visitor's center, which showcases a $20 million energy retrofit project aimed at educating the millions of people who visit the building every year on the positive global impact of both energy-efficient building and sustainable living practices.

"It was a natural fit for us to combine 100% clean energy with our nearly completed, ground breaking energy efficiency retrofit work,” said Anthony E. Malkin, president of Malkin Holdings which supervises the Empire State Building.

"Clean energy and our nearly 40 percent reduced consumption of watts and BTUs gives us a competitive advantage in attracting the best credit tenants at the best rents," Malkin continued.

"Our program of innovation at the Empire State Building shows simple, replicable, non-proprietary steps for other landlords to follow to be more energy efficient, cleaner and greener."