Opinion: Wind energy creates “buckets of opportunity” for Virginia

By My Lan Tran & Remy Pangle

As Warren Buffet once said, “Opportunities come infrequently. When it rains gold, put out the bucket, not the thimble.” Offshore wind is Virginia’s rainstorm of gold, and we should capitalize on the opportunity that we have been given to the benefit of all Virginians.

For more than 100 years combined, James Madison University and the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce have been impactful organizations in the commonwealth. From education to employment opportunities, both JMU and the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce have a keen understanding of the impact and benefits of community investment and recognize that, in order for a community to thrive, investments in projects, businesses and people must be made.

That’s why we joined the Virginians for Offshore Wind coalition to support and advance offshore wind in the commonwealth, including the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project. Virginia offers a best-in-class port and workforce that is perfectly suited to grow this industry, which will provide economic and environmental benefits throughout the state.

The Virginia Clean Economy Act enacted last year set the goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. A key component of meeting this important goal is expansion of offshore wind and other clean energy technologies, and the CVOW project is rapidly advancing to help do so. For example, Siemens Gamesa and Dominion Energy recently announced plans to create the first offshore wind turbine blade facility in the United States which is projected to power more than 600,000 homes with clean energy, avoiding 5 million tons of carbon dioxide production annually.

Additionally, the blade facility will create approximately 260 clean-energy jobs once complete and bring millions in revenue to the commonwealth and its businesses. According to a study by Magnum Economics commissioned by the Hampton Roads Alliance, once the broader CVOW project is complete in 2027, each year the offshore wind project will generate about 900 jobs, $57 million in pay and benefits, $143 million in economic output, $2 million in revenue for local government, and $3 million in tax revenue for Virginia.

Investments and projects like this are setting Virginia up to become the offshore wind hub of the United States, and in turn attract even more investment and economic growth. Offshore wind projects are creating a new industry of jobs and businesses for Virginia to get involved in and what we are seeing today is just the beginning of what is in the realm of possible in terms of economic growth and job creation.

As organizations that have invested in the community and that work day-in and day-out to ensure that Virginians have opportunities for success, the positive impact of clean energy development is clear. We look forward to working alongside Virginians for Offshore Wind coalition partners and project leaders such as Dominion Energy and Siemens Gamesa, among others, to connect the Asian community, students and all Virginians with offshore wind opportunities.

Both our organizations have long and deep ties to the commonwealth. We have seen people seize opportunity, work hard, and build successful lives for themselves and their families, all stemming from the opportunity our state offers. We see this similar sense of opportunity as offshore wind grows, and investment in the industry is laying the groundwork for Virginia to lead the nation in offshore wind growth while boosting the economy for generations to come.

As a community, we must grab our buckets and capture this golden opportunity while it’s raining.

My Lan Tran is the executive director of the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce. Remy Pangle is the managing director and education manager at the Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Energy at James Madison University in Harrisonburg.

Read the full Virginian-Pilot piece here