Once a whaling port, New Bedford wants to light the world again, with wind

New Bedford, Massachusetts (AP) -- New Bedford once exported vast quantities of whale oils for lamps to the world in the early 1800s. A ship carrying wind turbine tower segments from Europe arrived in New Bedford on Wednesday. This is also a major milestone for the industry. There is not a single offshore wind farm of commercial scale in the United States. Vineyard Wind is building an offshore wind farm with 62 turbines, located 15 miles (24 km) from the coast of Massachusetts. The wind farm is expected to produce 800 megawatts of electricity, which will be enough to power over 400,000 homes. In late 2016, the first U.S. off-shore wind farm was opened near Block Island, Rhode Island. South Fork Wind is another project that will begin construction in the summer of this year off the coasts New York and Rhode Island. The United States has lagged behind Europe in terms of offshore wind farms, which were first built in Europe back around 1991. He said, 'I can't wait to see that first turbine in the sun.' The Biden administration is aiming to install 30 gigawatts by 2030. This activity creates jobs and opens up opportunities for businesses all over the country. Developers invest in multi-million dollar upgrades of ports along the East Coast including New Bedford and New London, Connecticut; Brooklyn, New York; and Portsmouth, Virginia. New Bedford was prepared. New Bedford was forced to look for a solution by necessity.

New Bedford is a small city with a population of 100,000. It does not belong to a large metropolitan area. Mitchell explained that, like other cities in similar situations, New Bedford had to find a way to survive at a time where the American economy is dominated by the large, star-studded cities. Mitchell stated that industrial cities were stigmatized as being gritty, failing, and struggling. We reject all victimhood labels. New Bedford, realizing the promise of the offshore wind industry, opened in 2015 the first U.S. facility designed specifically for it. It was meant to be a hub as the industry began to grow here. Ed Gilhouse, 60, a construction safety expert was overseeing the arrival of the ships at the terminal. He explained that he decided to join Vineyard Wind as a way to experience something new, especially since his career was winding down. He is also able to stay close to his family. He said, 'This is like the cherry on top, in a way, for me to be able do this and take offshore wind up to the next level'. Bernadette, a New Bedford native, went to the conference to show local students what is happening. Souza, the executive director at Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU), takes students out on bicycle rides to show them New Bedford's South End Peninsula. She said, "They are looking at me and have so many question." I want them to be excited. I love my city. I want to give them the opportunity to say to these kids, "I know about wind. Associated Press' climate and environmental reporting receives funding from several private foundations. All content is the sole responsibility of AP.