I noted in the last post below how the UK is ramping up its offshore wind industry and providing the port infrastructure to do this efficiently and in a timely fashion. I also noted recently the major boost that Google’s Eastern Seaboard offshore cable initiative is giving the industry and that the Cape Wind project is finally breaking through. Here’s a good article from the very good folks at RenewableEnergyWorld.com talking about the difficult economics of offshore wind, but that potential for economic development is excellent. They cite a study by Siemens that says, in Europe, “…offshore wind provides 22 jobs per MW … which compares to approximately 7 jobs per MW for onshore wind…”
It’s the jobs, stupid. And that’s precisely the argument being made in California against Prop. 23. The backlash against the backlash may well keep California’s landmark GHG regulation law intact. Reuters reports here that large-scale influxes of cash from the likes of Bill Gates, Sergey Brin and other like-minded kajillionaires, are pushing the vote against Prop. 23 in the right direction. It’s 48% against now, 37% for – with 15% undecided.
