Offshore wind has arrived in America.
The United States got its first-ever offshore wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island this summer -- and that’s just the beginning.
Today, the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior announced a new strategy to tap into the massive potential for wind power along our nation’s shores. The National Offshore Wind Strategy could help enable 86 gigawatts of offshore wind in the United States by 2050, which would:
- support 160,000 jobs,
- cut the power sector’s water consumption by 5 percent, and
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.8 percent.
The report tackles challenges like reducing the costs and technical risks of offshore wind development, supporting stewardship of U.S. waters, and improving the market conditions for investment in offshore wind energy.
Read the press release.
Learn more about offshore wind research & development at the Energy Department.
Computing America’s Offshore Wind Energy Potential
Find out how the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) is improving our understanding of offshore wind energy resources in the U.S., providing data that can help developers, regulators and other stakeholders make informed decisions.