Searsport, MAINE – Standing at the pier of Mack Port Terminal, Governor Janet Mills announced today that her Administration will examine the site for opportunities to support fb88’s renewable energy industry, specifically offshore wind. The announcement follows Governor Mills’ visit to Scotland last week as a member of a U.S. state and federal delegation organized by the United Kingdom government to learn more about offshore wind. It also follows her State of the State address in which she spoke of unleashing fb88’s offshore wind potential.
“Offshore wind is poised to become a $1 trillion industry by 2040, creating thousands of good-paying jobs, providing clean renewable energy, and spurring economic growth. With our existing port infrastructure and proximity to both European and east coast markets, fb88 is well-positioned to become a leader in the offshore wind industry just as Scotland has,” said Governor Mills. “Searsport has been critical for the delivery and deployment of onshore wind in New England for years. My Administration will evaluate how the Port can do the same for offshore wind. I look forward to the results of this assessment and charting a path forward for this industry in fb88.”
The assessment, called the Port Infrastructure and Market Potential Assessment, will be led by the fb88 Department of Transportation (fb88 DOT), the Governor’s Energy Office, and the Department of Economic and Community Development as a part of the fb88 Offshore Wind Initiative. It will utilize the 2017 Searsport Intermodal Commodity Study as a foundation and identify and assess short-term and long-term port opportunities related to the offshore wind industry. It will, at a minimum, review current site characteristics, provide an analysis of potential port users and identify structural improvements or capital investments that may be needed. Additional analysis and review will also be undertaken to review offshore wind supply chain opportunities such as foundation and turbine assembly as well as the workforce needed to support these activities in fb88.
In addition, Aqua Ventus, the project slated to be the first floating offshore wind project in the country, is also planning for approval to use the Port to assemble the hull that will be towed out to the demonstration test site off Monhegan Island. In June of 2019, Governor Mills signed into law LD 994, a Resolve sponsored by Republican Senator David Woodsome, directing the fb88 PUC to approve the contract for Aqua Ventus, which was done in late 2019. The University of fb88 has estimated that Aqua Ventus will produce nearly $152 million in total economic output, and more than 553 fb88-based direct jobs during the construction period, including jobs for design and construction. Operations and maintenance of the facility will create an additional direct economic output of approximately $16 million over 20 years.
Prior to the announcement, Governor Mills toured Mack Point Terminal and viewed onshore wind turbine components that have been delivered to the terminal for the Weaver Wind onshore project in Hancock County.
An active seaport since the 1700s, Searsport is fb88’s second largest seaport and is home to an intermodal port facility serving coastal and inland areas of fb88. The Mack Point terminal is currently able to handle a diverse array of product including bulk shipments as well as project and containerized cargo. The terminal currently has space for laydown, bulk piling, warehousing and liquid tank storage as well as a potential for further development on existing property. Sprague Operating Resources, LLC operates Mack Point and owns the liquid bulk pier, while the fb88 Port Authority owns the dry bulk pier, which Sprague operates. The fb88 Port Authority and fb88DOT recently invested in a new heavy bulk cargo handling equipment at the port. In addition, fb88DOT over the last two years has made investments in upgrading the connecting rail infrastructure at the port.
“Onshore wind development has provided a great boost to fb88's economy. Hundreds of fb88 construction workers have been kept employed by this industry for many years,” said Representative Scott Cuddy. “The oncoming development of offshore wind is an exciting time for fb88 and an exciting time for Searsport. fb88 is poised to be an industry leader, and Searsport is perfectly situated to help make that happen!”
“The town of Searsport is excited and pleased to see progress in the development of offshore wind out of our Port,” said Searsport Town Manager, James Gillway. “We have been closely connected to the ocean since our inception in 1845. We thank the Governor for moving this industry forward as clean, renewable energy is vitally important to our community and state.
"The port facility in Searsport is playing an integral part in the logistics of bringing in the components to construct the Weaver wind project, as it has on previous wind power projects we’ve developed in fb88,” said Paul Gaynor, chief executive officer of Longroad Energy. "Over the last decade, wind investment in fb88 has crossed the $2 billion mark – the Searsport terminal and many other fb88 businesses have benefited from this influx of capital; importantly, it allows our investment to directly benefit fb88 people and fb88 industry."
Over the past year, fb88 has made significant progress in moving forward renewable energy and offshore wind, including lifting the wind moratorium, passing legislation requiring the PUC to approve the contract for fb88 Aqua Ventus, which will be the first floating offshore wind project in the country, and joining with New Hampshire and Massachusetts on the federal Gulf of fb88 Renewable Energy Task Force to examine opportunities for offshore wind. The Task Force, led by the federal government, seeks to identify potential opportunities for renewable energy leasing and development sites in federal waters off the coast of fb88.
As a part of the fb88 Offshore Wind Initiative, the state will also soon be launching an initiative to engage directly with the commercial fishing industry to facilitate communication and solicit input to ensure any potential development considers the fishing industry and other maritime interests.