It was announced earlier today that floating offshore wind farms along the Oregon Coast have had plans finalized by the federal government.
The state is getting close to commercially developing and producing a renewable energy source that will support their climate change targets.
The two areas will cover approximately a total of 195,000 acres with one being located 32 miles off of Coos Bay, and the other only 18 miles from the shore of Brookings (located near the California state lines).
Both sites will have the capacity to produce enough power for around 800,000 homes, supporting the development of a transparent roadmap for offshore wind opportunities.
The offshore wind farms will present significant economic development for the Oregon Coas. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management are preparing an environmental assessment on the potential impacts of leasing offshore wind farms. There will be at least one 30-day comment period to allow the public to weigh in. An additional public comment period may be held if the federal agency decides to move forward with a lease sale in either of the areas.
The offshore wind industry in the U.S. is growing after lagging behind Europe for decades. President Joe Biden hopes to deploy up to 15 gigawatts of electricity through floating sites by 2035, enough to power 5 million homes. The administration has set a goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 using traditional technology that secures wind turbines to the ocean floor.
For further information regarding the above sites, or offshore wind roles in the USA, please contact our US team here.
