Business Network for Offshore Wind lands $1.25M from MEA

The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) on Thursday announced the Business Network for Offshore Wind was awarded $1.25 million to develop and implement an Offshore Wind Experience Hub on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The project aims to address the public’s lack of awareness and education about offshore wind.

Gov. Wes Moore discussed this announcement and other offshore wind energy initiatives at the International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum. To move Maryland forward in its clean energy goals, the governor further outlined MEA’s focus on funding those projects that will advance offshore wind and prioritize wind energy partnerships.

The primary audience for this project will be school-aged children from elementary through high school and will educate the public using a variety of programming catered to all ages, educational levels, and abilities.

This project will also work with partners in Maryland that include the Maryland Institute College of Arts Center for Social Design, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, U.S. Wind and Ørsted to successfully design, implement and integrate the Hub into school programs, such as Career and Technical Education (CTE) and field trips.

The physical center will contain educational and interactive exhibits in the areas of economic benefits, workforce development, physics and engineering, earth science, and environmental  and wildlife science. Programming and education will be open to all communities to break traditional barriers to education, such as income levels.

The MEA Open Energy Grant Program was created to provide funding opportunities to projects that support Maryland’s ongoing effort to promote affordable, reliable, resilient, and clean energy, but fall outside of MEA’s current grant program portfolio. This grant will receive funding from MEAs Offshore Wind Business Development Fund.