April 13, 2023 — Maryland is poised to set policies that could quadruple the amount of offshore wind planned along the state’s Atlantic coastline.
On Monday, Maryland’s General Assembly passed the Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources Act, or POWER ACT. The comprehensive legislation sets a nonbinding goal of 8.5 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2031, up from the 2 gigawatts of projects now in various stages of development.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) has promised to sign the bill as part of the state’s broader effort to get 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2035. The 8.5-gigawatt ambition would give Maryland the second largest offshore wind goal in the country, after New York — and help keep the Biden administration on track for its target of installing 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030