RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — An industry-sponsored study concludes that the large-scale development of wind power off the Mid-Atlantic coast would create more than 70,000 jobs from New York to Virginia.
The study released Wednesday said those jobs would be created by a new industrial base needed to manufacture, build, operate and maintain the towering wind turbines, and an additional 40,000 jobs would be needed to serve the supply chain to that industry. The job growth would be realized over a 10-year build out of the offshore industry.
The study was conducted for the Atlantic Wind Connection and released amid the American Wind Energy Association's annual conference in Virginia Beach. It continues through Thursday.
The study also forecasts a $19 billion increase in the combined economic impact for the Mid-Atlantic states.
