A new analysis finds that Maine could add more than 2,000 jobs through aggressive participation in the region's emerging offshore wind industry.
The study from the nonprofit American Jobs Project was co-authored by Ryan Wallace, director of the University of Southern Maine's Center for Business and Economic Research.
“Maine has some competitive advantages in innovation, industry development, as well as industry clusters that could support a supply chain,” Wallace says.
The report finds Maine could gain jobs through the manufacture of floating cement platforms, and further development of composites technology pioneered at the University of Maine.
Wind farm development off Maine's coast has stalled, though, since a Norwegian company pulled plans for a $120 million demonstration project off Boothbay. The company cited regulatory uncertainty under Governor Paul LePage.
Originally published 4:54 p.m. Thursday June 7.