>
Offshore wind could be moving closer to reality
If offshore wind developers get their way, state officials will decide what projects will move forward along the coast of New Jersey sometime around December 2012.
At least that is the tentative timeframe suggested by developers working with the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) on how the projects will be funded and how the wind farms will be awarded offshore renewable energy certificates (ORECs) for the electricity they generate.
The Christie administration is aggressively pushing offshore wind projects, hoping they will spur the creation of thousands of green manufacturing jobs to supply wind turbines, cables and countless other parts.
The proposal emerged from a series of stakeholder hearings held in Trenton this past month on how the wind farms will earn ORECs for the power they produce and how power suppliers will pay for the certificates. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
