Ocasio-Cortez, Markey Ask Trump Admin To Explain Paying TotalEnergies USD 1 Billion ‘In Taxpayer Money’ To Drop Offshore Wind Projects
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
US lawmakers Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ed Markey have sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum on the plan by the Trump administration to pay nearly USD 1 billion to TotalEnergies to cancel offshore wind projects off the US East Coast, calling on the administration to stop the payment and explain the legal basis and funding source for the proposed transfer.
These four paragraphs add detail to the story.
As reported recently, the US government’s agreement with TotalEnergies concerns the company’s exit from offshore wind development in the country by relinquishing leases for projects off New York/New Jersey and North Carolina, for which the administration intends to pay approximately USD 928 million.
The agreement also stipulates that TotalEnergies would redirect that money to oil & gas projects in the US. The company, in a press release issued after signing the agreement with the government, indicated that it would invest proceeds from the payment into a liquefied natural gas export facility in Texas and other oil and gas activities in the US that will support both domestic supply and the demand in Europe.
As reported recently, the US government’s agreement with TotalEnergies concerns the company’s exit from offshore wind development in the country by relinquishing leases for projects off New York/New Jersey and North Carolina, for which the administration intends to pay approximately USD 928 million.
The agreement also stipulates that TotalEnergies would redirect that money to oil & gas projects in the US. The company, in a press release issued after signing the agreement with the government, indicated that it would invest proceeds from the payment into a liquefied natural gas export facility in Texas and other oil and gas activities in the US that will support both domestic supply and the demand in Europe.
Trump may have got what he wanted and stopped development of wind farms, but at what cost to US taxpayers?
Out of curiosity, I asked Google AI, “Which LNG Terminal In Texas Have TotalEnergies Agreed To Develop”, And Received This Answer.
TotalEnergies has agreed to develop and invest in the Rio Grande LNG (RGLNG) project located in South Texas.
Key details regarding TotalEnergies’ involvement include:
Partnership: In June 2023, TotalEnergies signed a framework agreement with NextDecade Corporation to participate in the development of the Rio Grande LNG project.
Ownership and Phase 1: TotalEnergies holds a 16.67% stake in the first phase of the project, which includes three liquefaction trains with an annual capacity of 17.5 million tons per annum (Mtpa).
Offtake Agreement: TotalEnergies has agreed to purchase 5.4 million tons per annum (Mtpa) of LNG from Phase 1 for 20 years.
Expansion (Train 4): As of September 2025, TotalEnergies has reached a Final Investment Decision (FID) for a 10% stake in the joint venture developing Train 4 of the Rio Grande LNG facility.
NextDecade Stake: TotalEnergies also acquired a 17.5% stake in NextDecade Corporation, the developer of the project.
The Rio Grande LNG project is located in Brownsville, Texas, and is expected to contribute to TotalEnergies’ goal of expanding its U.S. LNG export capacity to 15 million tons annually by 2030.
I shall be watching this project. Especially, as several new techniques have come forward in the last few months.
Support For Offshore Wind In New Jersey Drops, Industry Points To Effect Of Misinformation
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The number of New Jersey residents who support offshore wind fell by more than 20 per cent since 2019, from 76 per cent four years ago to just over half (54 per cent) now, and the number of those opposing offshore wind has climbed from 15 per cent to 40 per cent since 2019.
These are the first two paragraphs.
This is according to the results of a poll performed earlier this month by the Monmouth University Polling Institute, which found that 40 per cent of New Jerseyans think offshore wind farms could hurt the state’s summer tourism economy and 45 per cent see a connection between wind energy development and the recent beached whale phenomenon in New Jersey.
Furthermore, only 22 per cent expect the offshore wind industry to create a lot of jobs for the state, with most (55 per cent) saying that a few new jobs would be created and 15 per cent expecting that the industry would not create any new jobs.
It would appear that much of the drop in support has been down to Republicans.
The article is definitely a must-read.
New Jersey Police Apprehend A Suspected Meteorite
This article on The Times is entitled Stone Me! Meteorite Crashes Into New Jersey Bedroom.
These are the first two paragraphs.
Police were called early on a Monday afternoon after a break-in, of sorts, at a small house in New Jersey.
Something had come through the roof at tremendous speed and into an upstairs bedroom where it dented the polished wood floor, bounced up and struck the ceiling and then came to rest.
This was the response of officers at the Hopewell Township Police Department.
They telephoned Shannon Graham at the nearby physics department of the College of New Jersey, telling her they had apprehended a suspected meteorite.
It doesn’t appear that they shot it!
Note
Hydrogen-Powered Turbines May Help Clean And Improve Electrical Grid Reliability
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Hydrogen Fuel News.
This is the first paragraph.
In less than three years, one or more hydrogen-powered turbines are expected to be up and running at or near New Jersey’s Bayonne Energy Center power plant, which feeds power to New York City.
Note.
- The Bayonne Energy Center is a peaker plant with ten gas turbines, with a total capacity of 640 MW.
- Peaker plants automatically cut in, when power demand is high, but power generation is low.
- The Bayonne Energy Centre transfers power to New York, through an underwater cable.
- The electrolyzers will be made by Ohmium International Inc and I suspect they will be powered by offshore wind.
- The hydrogen that is created will be stored. As Bayonne has a history of chemical manufacturing, there may be salt caverns that can be used or the hydrogen could be stored as a compressed gas or liquid in tanks.
I can see hydrogen being used in peaker plants elsewhere in the world, where there is lots of renewable energy and suitable hydrogen storage.
The hydrogen can also be used to decarbonise local industries and transportation.
The Potential For Wind Power In New Jersey
Wikipedia says this about the potential of wind power in the state.
New Jersey has the potential to generate 373 GWh/year from 132 MW of 80 m high wind turbines or 997 GWh/year from 349 MW of 100 m high wind turbines located onshore as well as 430,000 GWh/year from 102,000 MW of offshore wind turbines.
Note.
- New Jersey used 76,759 GWh in 2011
- It appears that most of these turbines would be located along the coast.
There is also a worry about hurricanes. But solving that is an engineering problem.
From my experience of modelling floating structures, I believe they may stand up to high winds better. But I’m not sure!
The Anonymous Widower 