Murphy ‘concerned’ about offshore wind energy getting support from Trump administration

Gov. Phil Murphy, speaking to a group of British business leaders last week in London, said he has worries about the offshore wind sector in New Jersey — specifically, how much support it will get from the incoming administration of Donald Trump.

“I would be lying to you if I didn’t say that we’re concerned,” he said. “It’s tricky. I don’t know where this is going to land.”

Murphy, speaking in a wide-ranging roundtable with executives from British American Business — a group featuring British companies that already have some presence in the U.S. — said the concept of a vibrant offshore wind energy sector, something he has been pushing throughout his administration, still makes sense for the state.

“We’re the most densely populated state in America,” he said. “We want as much clean energy as we can (get).”

Murphy, on a five-day economic mission to the United Kingdom that was organized by Choose New Jersey (he returned back to New Jersey on Tuesday), said he has two main reasons for his concern:

1. Trump, unlike current President Joe Biden, was not a supporter in his first term in office and could work to without the federal funding that is crucial to starting the industry;
2. Offshore wind energy was caught up in the anti-woke movement, which astounds him.

“It got wrapped up in this woke thing, like you’re for offshore wind because you’re woke,” he told the group. “I am a proud progressive and a cold-blooded capitalist. That’s how I describe myself. We are we’re not that woke. We want to create jobs.”

A push for more electric vehicles, something Murphy also has been a supporter of, also was caught up in the “anti-woke” rhetoric, Murphy said — only to be saved because Elon Musk, one of the biggest players in the industry, has become a close confidant of Trump.

“Electric vehicles has gotten sucked back out because of one man,” he said. “I think electric vehicles are going to dodge the bullet. It’s to be determined on offshore wind.”

Paulina Banasiak O’Connor, the executive director of the New Jersey Offshore Wind Alliance and a delegate on the mission trip, said her group is eager – and hopeful – that it will be able to work with the incoming Trump administration.

“New Jersey Offshore Wind Alliance congratulates President-Elect Trump and stands ready to help expand American energy independence and grow New Jersey jobs,” she said after the election. “We look forward to working in partnership with the administration to responsibly develop offshore wind and realize its economic opportunities as the demand for energy increases.”

O’Connor said support for the sector is there.

“The wind industry has seen broad bipartisan support in Congress and its value proposition remains the same: creating high-quality domestic American jobs, strengthening our country’s core industries, and enhancing our energy independence,” she said. “Now is the time to focus on the issues important to New Jerseyans and support the delivery of safe, affordable, and reliable in-state power generation.”

Murphy said there was one reason for optimism — the state began its push for offshore wind during the first Trump administration, he reminded the group.

“His Interior Secretary the first time (David Bernhardt) was not a believer, but we still made a good amount of progress,” he said. “Not a ton, but I would hope, at a minimum, that we can continue to make progress, even though it might be harder.”

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