Dynamic offer to pursue wind energy?

How do the winds blow off the Jersey Shore?

The state may offer up to $12 million in rebates for companies to find out, using offshore weather stations.

Activists who want more environmental studies questioned whether that's the best way to spend the taxpayers' money, but a wind company spokeswoman supported the rebate idea.

"If New Jersey really wants to be in the race for doing this, they really need to implement this kind of a program," said Rhonda Jackson, communications director for Fishermen's Energy, Cape May, which will apply for a rebate. The company has proposed putting wind turbines off Atlantic County.

The state Board of Public Utilities most likely will vote on its proposed 2009 Clean Energy Program budget, which could include the rebate program for meteorological stations, on Dec. 16, said Lance Miller, BPU director of policy and planning.

The stations would collect wind and ecological data and begin operating next year, according to a BPU document.

That would help set the stage for potentially several hundred wind turbines off the Jersey Shore by 2012 and even more by 2020.

"This is more money for development of offshore wind without environmental protection measures in place," said Tim Dillingham, executive director of the American Littoral Society, a Sandy Hook-based coastal conservation group. He opposes offshore wind turbines.

The BPU proposal is part of New Jersey's push to foster offshore wind turbines that would generate clean, renewable electricity.

Under New Jersey's energy master plan, at least 1,000 megawatts of offshore wind power would be developed by 2012 and at least 3,000 megawatts by 2020.

Assuming a wind turbine produces 3.5 megawatts, about 285 turbines would be needed to produce 1,000 megawatts. Three thousand megawatts would require 857 turbines.

To meet the 2012 target, "the next critical step is the installation of meteorological stations in the areas that are proposed for offshore wind farms," the BPU document says.

As much as $12 million in rebates would come from funding the BPU had planned to put toward an offshore wind-power pilot project. The agency had planned to spend up to $19 million to promote offshore wind power.

Rebates of up to $4 million per station would be provided, Miller said.

The agency has awarded a $4 million grant to Garden State Offshore Energy for a proposed 350-megawatt pilot project 16 to 20 miles off Cape May and Atlantic counties. It would power about 125,000 homes.

The BPU has earmarked $3 million for incentives for solar power, onshore wind and biomass projects, Miller said.

"What other issues need to be studied or resolved to help develop offshore wind in an environmentally responsible way?" asked Jennifer Samson, principal scientist with Clean Ocean Action, a Sandy Hook-based coalition of 125 groups. "It feels like that's the discussion that needs to happen."