“This fully brings the Mid-Atlantic into the game,” said Andrew Gohn, Eastern Region Director, for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). “Marylands decision to award these ORECs is a big win for American job seekers, manufacturing, and energy security.”

Washington, D.C., May 12, 2017 — Marylands Public Service Commission today awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits (ORECs) to the companies US Wind and Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC to build wind projects totaling 368 megawatts (MW) of capacity miles off the states coast. Completing these projects will generate nearly 10,000 new direct and indirect jobs and $1.8 billion of in-state spending.

"This fully brings the Mid-Atlantic into the game," said Andrew Gohn, Eastern Region Director, for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). "Marylands decision to award these ORECs is a big win for American job seekers, manufacturing, and energy security."

Conditions to the OREC approval include a requirement that these companies invest at least $76 million in Maryland steel-making and a further $39.6 million in upgraded infrastructure at the Tradepoint Atlantic shipyard.

Americas first offshore wind project came online late last year in waters off Block Island, Rhode Island. The Block Island Wind Project, a pilot project, has a total capacity of 30 MW. Growing offshore wind to scale will help attract new manufacturing and investment to states like Maryland that have business-friendly policies.

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AWEA is the national trade association of the U.S. wind energy industry. We represent 1,000 member companies and over 100,000 jobs in the U.S. economy, serving as a powerful voice for how wind works for America. Members include global leaders in wind power and energy development, turbine manufacturing, and component and service suppliers. They gather each year at the Western Hemispheres largest wind power trade show, the AWEA WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, next in Anaheim, California, May 22-26, 2017. Find information about wind energy on the AWEA website. Gain insight into industry issues on AWEA's blog, Into the Wind. And please join us on Facebook, and follow @AWEA on Twitter.