The NJ Board of Public Utilities established a new category to honor individuals who have pursued an agenda to support the development or utilization of clean energy in New Jersey. The award recognizes contributions in energy efficiency, demand response or renewable energy. The first recipient of this award is Daniel Cohen, President of Fishermen's Energy, an advocate for the development of off shore wind in New Jersey. Working with an industry that could have taken a position to oppose off shore wind, Dan instead encouraged the fishing industry to support the technology. Advocating at the state and national level, Dan has helped move New Jersey closer to the development of off shore wind at both a near shore pilot project in State waters and a utility scale project in federal waters. Dan received the award in recognition of his tireless efforts in supporting off shore wind along with his unending enthusiasm. Accepting the award; Front Row – Rhonda Jackson, Maxie Cohen, Mike Madia, Mindy Silver, Daniel Cohen, Dorit Cohen, Ronnie Cohen, Laura Stern, President of Nautilus Solar Energy, NJBPU President Jeanne Fox. Back Row - James M. Rice, CEO of Nautilus Solar Energy, Steve O’Malley, Commissioner Joseph Fiordaliso, Mark Leach, Barry Cohen, Sam Martin, Paul Gallagher, Commissioner Nicholas Asselta, Commissioner Elizabeth Randall. Not pictured - John Tirello.

Fishermen’s Energy, led by Daniel Cohen and co-founded by a core group of New Jersey commercial fishermen, was established to respond to the public’s need to benefit from renewable wind energy. The company has partnered with the most dynamic, experienced professionals in the renewable energy and off shore wind business community to harvest the sea for energy and fish, side by side, with an environmentally responsible approach and in a manner which utilizes the decades of maritime and seagoing experience of Fishermen’s Energy’s founders and their hundreds of employees.

Historically, the commercial fishing industry has been opposed to off shore wind power generation for fear of the threat it would place on marine life and on their ability to earn a living.

Cohen did his research and, after careful study and analysis, concluded that the use of fossil fuels and resulting production of CO2 and greenhouse gases have resulted in a climate change that has negatively affected several species of fish and shellfish. As the livelihood of fishermen is dependent on a healthy, vibrant, and sustainably-managed marine environment, renewable, off shore wind energy must be pursued. And, if the oceans must be developed for this use, Cohen and his team believe there are none more qualified or more invested in the design, implementation and operation of these uniquely ocean structures.

This solution, of course, has its own inherent challenges. Currently, there are no off shore wind farms anywhere in North America. But, at the helm of Fishermen’s Energy, Cohen recruited investors and advocated the creation of off shore wind farms at both the state and national level to spur two ground-breaking projects:

The first is slated to be operational and generating electricity by late 2011 – as much as two to four years before the large projects presently being planned in federal waters elsewhere in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Delaware. The project is ready for immediate  interconnection to the existing transmission grid, and will not require the construction of  additional transmission delivery infrastructure. This commercial demonstration would be the first off shore wind farm not only in the US, but also the Western Hemisphere and would allow a realistic, step-wise transition into the entirely new, multi-billion-dollar construction supply chain that the entire off shore wind industry will require to build larger scale projects.

The second will be a 350 MW wind farm off the coast of New Jersey in federal waters, slated to begin construction in 2013. This project has the approval of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities for its Met Tower construction, to be built in 2010, and is the subject of the first interim leases granted by the Minerals Management Service of the U.S. Department of Interior, announced on June 23, 2009, by Secretary Salazar.

These wind farms will bring about positive impacts on both the environment and the state’s economy. One 350 MW wind farm would reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by more than 16.2 million metric tons over a 25-year life cycle. And construction of the Met Tower Wind Farm alone is forecast to create over 600 jobs in New Jersey.

The NJ Board of Public Utilities congratulates Dan Cohen, winner of the 2009 NJ Clean Energy Advocate of the Year Award