
A recently released poll showed 62 percent of Maryland residents favor offshore wind power development in the Old Line State - and would be willing to pay for it.
The poll, undertaken by a Maryland market research firm on behalf of environmental action groups, asked respondents if they would be willing to pay $2 more per month on their electric bills to fund green energy generated by offshore wind farms. The responses ranged from 75 percent saying "yes" in Baltimore to 55 percent of Eastern Shore and South Maryland voters stating they would support the $2 monthly increase.
Governor Martin O'Malley said, "Poll results like these further our resolve to pursue new opportunities off our coasts that will create jobs and develop clean energy for our citizens."
During the last state legislative session, O'Malley introduced an offshore wind energy act that was debated but not voted on.
The poll results were released in advance of the American Wind Energy Association's Offshore Windpower 2011 Conference, scheduled to take place in Baltimore between October 11 and 13. The conference schedule includes panels related to business/policy concerns like financing offshore developments, as well as panels on scientific and technical issues such as how to best connect wind farms with preexisting power grids.
Maryland has 120 megawatts of wind power currently online, with projects underway to provide an additional 13,191 megawatts, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

