Offshore Wind Energy Faces Challenges on West Coast

Writing in the OC Register, Brooke Staggs describes the potential of offshore wind energy in the United States and, specifically, California, where offshore wind production has been held back by geography, among other factors.

“But with wind power now seen as key to helping both California and the U.S. meet their clean energy goals, new state and federal programs are focused on helping us push past those obstacles and become a leader in the offshore wind front,” Staggs writes. “In August, the California Energy Commission set goals of installing offshore wind projects that could generate 2,000 to 5,000 megawatts by 2030 and 25,000 megawatts by 2045. That would be enough electricity to power 3.75 million homes over the next seven years and 25 million homes by mid-century.”

The article describes the challenges of installing offshore wind turbines in the deep waters off the California coast, which require floating installations rather than turbines anchored to the sea floor, making it more expensive. California’s situation is complicated by the vast amounts of coastline controlled by the Department of Defense, which are currently off limits to wind energy projects. But with technology rapidly improving and incentives from the federal government adding a boost, offshore wind energy along the West Coast could soon be a reality. “[T]wo areas off the coast of Humboldt and three areas near Morro Bay, totalling a combined 373,000 acres, have so far been identified as prime floating wind farm locations. If fully developed, the projects could generate 4,500 megawatts of electricity, or enough power for 1.5 million homes.”