Connecticut lawmakers and advocates are urging the federal government to adopt tax and community credits for offshore wind projects.
Earlier this week, energy company Avangrid pulled out of a project in Bridgeport, citing inflation and supply chain issues.
Aziz Dehkan is with Connecticut’s Roundtable on Climate and Jobs. He said the federal government needs to do more to support companies like Avangrid to keep them invested in marginalized communities.
“If we can't get out of our own way, out of the federal government's way, then where are we?” Dehkan asked. “And where we are is where we are currently now, where companies don't want to be part of this new technology. We recognize the difficulties.”
Also this week, Gov. Ned Lamont signed an agreement with Massachusetts and Rhode Island that allows the states to bid on offshore wind projects together.
It’s in an effort to help lower the cost of future projects.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said now it’s the federal government’s turn to implement policies to encourage offshore wind development.
He cited the Offshore Wind Investment Tax Credit and the Inflation Reduction Act’s Energy Communities Credit as examples.
“Offshore wind is our future, but the United States Department of the Treasury needs to do its job,” Blumenthal said. “The federal government needs to do its job to clarify how the tax credits will be applied so that we can make sure that developers know how much they will benefit and frame their bids accordingly.”
