The Biden administration announced today that it is moving to advance offshore wind power on the coast of California for the first time. When developed, the regions selected have the potential to generate enough green energy for up to 1.6 million homes over the next decade, according to the administration.
Two areas being eyed for offshore wind could produce up to 4.6 gigawatts of renewable energy. The first, a 399-square-mile swath of ocean known as the Morro Bay 399 Area, lies off California’s central coast and could produce 3 gigawatts. The other, the Humboldt Call Area off Northern California, is being considered by the Interior Department as a future Wind Energy Area.
Installing wind turbines off the West Coast won’t be easy: The floor of the Pacific Ocean gets far deeper far closer to the shore than the Atlantic Ocean. That means the California farms will require “new floating offshore wind technology,” developed in part through investments by the Energy Department, the White House said.
This announcement comes just weeks after the White House approved another major offshore wind project in U.S. waters. The 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind project will be located off the coast of Massachusetts.
In addition to the environmental benefits, the Biden administration also highlighted the economic impacts, especially when it comes to jobs.
“The offshore wind industry has the potential to create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs across the nation, while combating the negative effects of climate change,” Deb Haaland, secretary of the Interior, said in a statement. “Interior is proud to be part of an all-of-government approach toward the Biden-Harris administration’s ambitious renewable energy goals,” she added.
theOffshore wind is a growing frontier for the Wind Industry and hopefully will bring with it an early 2000s like job rush. I am excited to see where this leads and the opportunities it will bring for tthe industry.
I spent well over a decade working in Wind Energy prior to attending law school and founding the Morgan Legal Group. Many of my family members and friends still work in sustainable energy. The Morgan Legal Group supports sustainable energy and fights for sustainable energy workers to ensure that sustainable energy is sustainable for everyone—including those who work in the industry.
If you were injured while working at a wind farm, you need an experienced advocate to fight for justice for you. I understand the complexities of working at a wind farm and will use my experience to fight for you. If you need help, contact the Morgan Legal Group for a free case consultation and plan for how I would advocate for you.
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