On Thursday, September 10th, Rick Mandile, CEO of SAGE Environmental and Chair of the Rhode Island Chapter of the Environmental Business Council (EBC), hosted a webinar to highlight recent developments in RI offshore wind projects and their economic impacts on the state. Of particular note was Ørsted Wind’s announcement of the opening of an innovation hub in Providence to identify, foster, and finance enterprises related to offshore wind, with a focus on next generation technology and related innovation in the offshore wind energy field. Revolution Wind, a joint project between Ørsted and Eversource Energy, includes 400 MW of renewable electricity for the Rhode Island grid, as well of over 300 MW for Connecticut. The combined project will create jobs and will include $40 million in port infrastructure improvements in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island strongly supports long-term growth of clean energy and offshore wind as evidenced by Governor Gina Raimondo’s recently-announced goal of 100% renewable energy for the state by 2030. This commitment has signaled to investors that the State strongly supports long-term growth of clean energy and offshore wind.
Presenters at the webinar, which was co-hosted by Christine Dieter of Hinckley Allen and Wayne Cobleigh of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. and moderated by Jackson Bailey of EBC New England, included:
- Michael Donegan, Esq., Attorney, Orson and Brusini, Ltd.
- Stacy Tingley, East Coast Stakeholder Communications Manager, Ørsted
- Jeff Tingley, Vice President, Business Development, Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
- Laura Hastings, Deputy Program Director, Real Jobs Rhode Island
- Jay A. Borkland, PG, Sr. Engineering Manager, Renewables Lead, Lloyd’s Register Energy Americas