New Bedford pitches Danish investors on wind energy

Kevin G. Andrade    Standard-Times

Published March 5, 2022 

NEW BEDFORD — Dozens of Danish investors gathered at the New Bedford Whaling Museum Friday to hear local and state leaders make their pitches as to why investing in SouthCoast wind farms would be a win for them. 

Mark F. Sullivan, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment, said that with the expansion of the commuter rail to the area, investments in education, and more, he sees the region becoming an international hub for wind and other maritime industries in the near future. 

"Just like anywhere in the world if you ask about pharma[ceuticals] you wonder about what is happening in Boston," Sullivan said.  "Anyone that thinks maritime will think New Bedford."

The visit was part of the U.S. East Coast Offshore Roadshow and followed stops earlier in the week in New York City, Stamford, Connecticut, and Providence.

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Sponsored by the Danish Trade Council (which falls under the auspices of Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Danish Wind Export, a Copenhagen based industry association, the tour looked to educate investors and provide an opportunity for networking.

Klaus Skoust Moeller, CEO of Vineyard Wind, spoke of his experiences in working with local stakeholders such as fishermen, labor unions, and residents. 

"[Communities] need to be respected," he said. "It does take handholding. It does take investment to make this a success."

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He also spoke to the environmental effects of offshore wind, such as how fish often use their foundations as breeding grounds. He also spoke to the opportunity offshore wind presents to fight climate change. 

"When people see the turbines they'll know they won't hurt anyone," Moeller said. "We need to solve this climate crisis, it's not going away."

At least one of the potential investors, Peter Rosenberg, key account manager for Creadis Energy, said that the presentation was interesting and he could see further investment.

"These are challenges which can be overcome," he said, adding that because of the maintenance requirements of offshore wind, they would look for electrical engineers interested in living locally.

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For Sullivan, the visit appeared to be a success. 

"The next 20 years are going to be fascinating for New Bedford," he said.

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