Momentum is building for offshore wind in the United States with the country\u2019s first large-scale project finally underway off the coast of Massachusetts and a growing number of projects in development, supported by billions of dollars in federal and industry investment. And now a $2.5 million grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) is making it a national priority to understand the complex energy justice implications of this burgeoning renewable energy sector at its earliest stages.<\/p>\n
With funding from DOE\u2019s Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO), the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability<\/a> (IGS), in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island and the University of Delaware, will identify energy justice indicators to measure the community effects of offshore wind energy development in the Northeastern US. Researchers will partner with environmental justice communities surrounding coastal ports that are poised to serve as regional hubs for the offshore wind sector on the East Coast. The team brings together experts in energy policy, environmental science, and community engagement to evaluate and monitor the potential impacts of this transition. From Boston University, research will be led by IGS Executive Director Rebecca Pearl-Martinez<\/a> and IGS Director Benjamin Sovacool<\/a>, professor in the Department of Earth & Environment.<\/p>\n Speaking to IGS\u2019s aspirations for setting a new precedent in environmentally sound and socially equitable renewable energy development, Rebecca Pearl-Martinez, executive director of the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability, said, \u201cWe\u2019re excited to be partnering with community organizations and residents in the Northeast to identify and monitor the most pressing local issues related to offshore wind development. Co-producing this knowledge with communities aligns with our Institute\u2019s emphasis on equity and justice in climate research. And what we learn will have relevance for offshore wind development throughout the country and globally.\u201d<\/p>\n Key to the project\u2019s approach is the involvement of port communities in New London, Connecticut, and New Bedford, Massachusetts, both considered important assets for supporting the future of offshore wind development in the region. Working with residents and community partners that include the NAACP New London Branch and the Old Bedford Village Development Corp. in New Bedford will provide invaluable insights about environmental justice concerns and how these projects influence local socio-economic dynamics. For three years, researchers will focus on conducting both qualitative and quantitative assessments of energy justice indicators to inform policy, shape industry practices, and empower communities to advocate for equitable outcomes\u2014all to improve the overall quality of life for their residents.<\/p>\n The project\u2019s Principal Investigator, David Bidwell, associate professor in the Department of Marine Affairs at the University of Rhode Island, provided further context. \u201cIndicators give you a way to measure concepts that are difficult to define. But we don\u2019t know what the indicators are for energy justice. What we know in the US is that ports are often surrounded by low-income or communities of color. And if you look at New Bedford or New London, you can definitely see those dynamics.\u201d<\/p>\n A range of social indicators will be explored to fully capture the spectrum of energy justice impacts that offshore wind development can have, ensuring that community voices are influential in planning and implementation and that the benefits and burdens of the clean energy transition are distributed equitably. Economic indicators will play a significant role, examining aspects like job creation, job loss, and the safety of new roles that emerge, as well as the effects on local property values. Demographic indicators will shed light on how specific communities, especially those traditionally underrepresented or vulnerable, are affected. Attitudinal indicators will explore the perceived fairness of the outcomes of these developments. Procedural indicators will focus on the transparency and inclusivity of decision-making processes. Lastly, quality of life dimensions will be considered, encompassing factors like nuisances associated with construction, noise, air quality, and traffic.<\/p>\n \u201cWind energy is often discussed in terms of economic benefits. Our work will place communities affected by offshore wind development at the center of conversations on how to evaluate the benefits and costs of wind energy through the lens of fairness, equity, and justice,\u201d added Nina David, associate professor, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Delaware.<\/p>\n This project, supported by President Biden\u2019s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is among 15 across the country chosen by WETO for federal funding. It will help the DOE deliver on the Biden administration\u2019s Justice 40 Initiative, which seeks to decrease energy burden, increase clean energy jobs and economic development, and build energy democracy in disadvantaged communities.<\/p>\n \u201cOffshore wind power has become a vital tool for local and national climate action, and our research will be instrumental in ensuring its deployment is as equitable and just as possible,\u201d said Benjamin Sovacool, director of the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability.<\/p>\n About the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability<\/strong> From Boston University, research will be led by IGS’s Executive Director Rebecca Pearl-Martinez and Director Benjamin Sovacool. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15764,"featured_media":16169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[601,594],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16124"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15764"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16124"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16124\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21249,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16124\/revisions\/21249"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/igs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS) pioneers research to advance a sustainable and equitable future, convening faculty across the university\u2019s diverse schools and colleges. Our focus on planetary and environmental health, climate governance and sustainability transitions, and energy systems of the future is grounded in equity and justice, robust data science, and real-world impact. To learn more, visit bu.edu\/igs<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"