ANNAPOLIS, MD—The state of Maryland has announced new grant money to help bolster the state’s offshore wind workforce with a focus on supporting women and people of color.

The $4.7 million training and job placement grant program is part of the Maryland Department of Labor’s Maryland Works for Wind initiative. The initiative includes a collaboration between employers, unions, training providers, and local workforce development areas to improve the skills of the wind industry workforce.

“We’re excited to support additional partnerships to grow the workforce in key sectors that support offshore wind: manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and the skilled trades,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. “These investments will help Maryland be a national leader in providing clean, renewable, and affordable energy for families and businesses.”

The state is seeking proposals from organizations that can provide training and job placement assistance in the fields of manufacturing, transportation, and logistics, which are essential for the offshore wind industry.

Priority will be given to proposals that focus on recruiting and serving traditionally underserved populations, including women and people of color. The first round of grants are expected to be announced in January 2025.

“Maryland is serious about offshore wind — and not just because of what it means for our environment: but also because of what it means for our economy,” said Governor Wes Moore. “Investments in offshore wind will help us create jobs, raise wages, and grow wealth for Maryland families. We thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued partnership in this vital push to make Maryland more competitive for all.”

Wind energy comes with its fair share of criticism, however.

Technology business leader and acclaimed strategist Steve Herbert points out that wind turbine blades have a life-span of less than 20 years after which they are replaced and cannot be recycled.

“Today, in Europe, over 3,000 blades are buried in landfill each year and this number is set to increase significantly as the UK, Belgium, France and the Netherlands have all indicated they will grow their offshore wind farms exponentially,” Herbert says.  “In the US about 8,000+ blades are buried every year —and counting.”

“Once the blades are in the ground, they are there essentially forever as their indestructible materials do not break down over time,” Herbert adds. “Today, the number of blades disposed of in landfill is equivalent to burying 400 Airbus A380’s AND over 1,000 Boeing 747’s whole (the largest passenger planes in the world) —every single year!”

“Yes, (wind turbines) do not emit CO₂ but no, they are certainly not ‘renewable’ in any sense of the word.”

There is also potential concern as to how wind energy could affect marine life.

Since 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared three Unusual Mortality Events (UME) involving large whale species in the Atlantic Ocean.

A recent study identified a direct correlation between increased offshore wind vessel activity and whale mortality. Officials say further research is needed in this area.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo via Pixabay