The Relationship Between Community Investment and Clean Energy Solutions: Why One Cannot Exist Without the Other

Community investment is an integral part of clean energy infrastructure development. As Community Offshore Wind develops offshore wind in the New York Bight, we will grow local economies, create jobs, and lift up the communities in the Northeast. While we believe that the clean energy infrastructure we are building will bring tangible benefits to the people that live and work in the Northeast, to some, this signifies newness or disruption. It can also be challenging for community members to hear that we are building clean energy projects now that are going to deliver clean energy in 2030, years away.

This is why community investment is so important. We need to engage with the people that live in the towns where we are making clean energy investments, listening to their interests and concerns to inform our project development, and improving their neighborhoods beyond bringing clean energy.

Community Offshore Wind was named for its dedication to communities and since its inception, we have already made an impact throughout the Northeast, but we are just getting started. Here we will talk about the importance of community investment, how we ensure all stakeholder groups are heard, and what we are doing to better neighborhoods in the Northeast.

Presented By

About The Speakers

Pat Johnson | VP and Deputy Project Director of Community Offshore Wind

Pat Johnson is Community Offshore Wind’s Vice President and Deputy Project Director. Together, Pat and the team are focused on responsibly developing their lease in the New York Bight for the benefit of all stakeholder communities to enable a clean, fair, and affordable energy future.

Pat is a CFA Charterholder and an investment analysis professional. Pat has been working at National Grid Ventures (NGV) for nearly 5 years and in the energy sector for nearly 10. During his time with NGV, Pat has been focused on developing clean energy infrastructure in the northeast US, including offshore wind, energy storage, and renewable-enabling transmission. Pat has led the development of multiple projects on behalf of NGV that have been submitted into RFPs. Pat is passionate about the natural world and excited to be a leader in the ongoing transformation of our energy systems.

Pat holds a BA in conservation biology from Middlebury College, an MS in Wildlife Management from The Ohio State University, and an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Doug Perkins | President and Project Director of Community Offshore Wind

Doug Perkins is Community Offshore Wind’s President and Project Director. He leads the team and ensures that we deliver on our promises – to produce local clean energy for all. Together with the team, he is driving the strategy and implementation of the project and supports our engagement with key stakeholders in our local communities, policy makers, suppliers, and all other neighbors to our project.

Doug has over 11 years’ experience in renewable energy development, with his last five years focused on offshore development in the US Northeast.  Doug has a BA in Environmental Science from Boston University with a concentration in Coastal Ecology.