Why Shell is walking away from its planned wind farm off of New Jersey


    In the first serious fallout from President Donald Trump’s early actions against offshore wind power, oil and gas giant Shell is walking away from a major project off New Jersey.

    Shell told The Associated Press it is writing off the project, citing increased competition, delays and a changing market.

    “Naturally we also take regulatory context into consideration,” spokesperson Natalie Gunnell says in an email.

    Shell co-owns the large Atlantic Shores project, which has obtained most of its permits and would generate enough power for 1 million homes if both of two phases were completed. That’s enough to supply one-third of New Jersey households.

    It’s unclear whether Shell’s decision kills the project—partner EDF-RE Offshore Development says it remains committed to Atlantic Shores.

    On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order singling out offshore wind for contempt with a temporary halt on all lease sales in federal waters and a pause on approvals, permits and loans. The order also directs administration officials to review existing offshore wind energy leases and identify any legal reasons to terminate them.

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