Connecticut has very limited onshore wind resources, so for many years, there were only a handful of wind turbines in the state. In fact, one of these is right in New Haven Harbor. But the Long Island Sound is blessed with extensive offshore wind resources. As offshore wind prices have declined over the years, there has been increasing interest in tapping this resource. Offshore wind also came along with the promise to provide jobs in several shoreline communities in Connecticut. The state of Connecticut has gone to great lengths to encourage the staging of offshore wind development in cities like Bridgeport and New London, and this is a sensible strategy to try to make sure that offshore wind provides economic benefits to the state.
Maximizing the benefits of offshore wind while minimizing environmental and social impacts generally requires both analysis and deep collaboration with stakeholders, in particular the fishing community.
