Biden Sets Course for U.S. Offshore Wind Power Growth

The Roundtable included key Biden Administration agency leaders, offshore wind developers, labor leaders, and state government partners, the Business Network for Offshore Wind said in a press statement. This unprecedented meeting emphasizes the importance of clean energy development to the Biden Administration and the central role it places on offshore wind power and supply chain development in meeting its energy goals.

Led by White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Cabinet Secretaries Granholm (Department of Energy), Haaland (Department of Interior), Raimondo (Department of Commerce), and Buttigieg (Department of Transportation), the White House roundtable outlined a series of actions, grants and initiatives to achieve its stated goal to deploy 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030, and a longer-term goal of 110 GW by 2050. The White House estimated that, by 2030, the industry and local supply chain would create over 40,000 well-paying jobs and another 30,000 in local communities.

During the Roundtable a new priority Wind Energy Area in the New York Bight was named, with a lease sale expected for late 2021/early 2022. The Department of Interior (DOI ) will immediately begin to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the New Jersey Ocean Wind project. To support the development of a domestic supply chain, the Department of Transportation identified $230 million for port infrastructure improvements and the Department of Energy (DOE) is facilitating $3 billion in loan support for the industry. The Department of Commerce also announced a new data sharing agreement between industry and NOAA and a new grant to help study any impact on ocean management. Secretary Haaland also announced a complete review of at least 16 offshore wind project plans by 2025.

“Today’s White House Offshore Wind Roundtable highlights the importance of offshore wind as a cornerstone industry in America’s clean energy future,” said Liz Burdock, president & CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind. “The Biden Administration brought the power of the federal government to kickstart a burgeoning industry into high-gear. Together with industry and union leaders, the Administration is making the investments, supporting research, and advancing the permitting milestones needed to make offshore wind a foundation of America’s climate change response.”

“The level of agency cooperation is unprecedented and exactly what is required to achieve 30 GW of installed offshore wind capacity and create jobs for Americans,” added Burdock. “The Network could not be more pleased with the level of commitment and focus the Administration is placing on offshore wind. Every small and medium-sized U.S. business should take a hard look at diversifying into this sector – it’s not every day a company has the opportunity to get in at the ground level of the next great American industry.”

The offshore industry welcomed the actions being taken. David Hardy, CEO of Offshore North America at Ørsted, the world's leading offshore wind developer which has several U.S. projects in their pipeline, said: "The Biden Administration, today, has committed America to being a leader in offshore wind with its goal of deploying 30GW by 2030. This action will set our country on a path to maximize our unmatched wind potential to help meet the nation’s clean energy needs. More than that, it reaffirms offshore wind’s ability to launch a new U.S. industry that will provide well-paying union jobs, create economic opportunity, and generate local investment that will benefit all Americans. As a company committed to a 100% renewable energy portfolio, Ørsted commends President Biden for his dedication, his support, and his advancement of offshore wind today. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Biden Administration to build a new American Industry."

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) issued the following statement after the government announcement. Heather Zichal, ACP CEO said: “This is a historic day for offshore wind energy in America. The Biden Administration’s ambitious, but achievable, goal of 30 GW by 2030 sets the stage for a brand-new home-grown energy industry that will slash carbon emissions, create 83,000 American jobs, and add $25 billion in annual investments into our economy by the end of this decade. Creating a stable policy platform for offshore wind development and facilitating the first wave of significant projects will provide certainty for the industry, strengthen the workforce, and revolutionize domestic supply chains up and down the coasts and across the country. Now is the time to seize on this once-in-a-generation opportunity.”