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The future of energy on the West Coast is offshore wind

Floating offshore wind turbines
How OFFSHORE WIND WORKS
OFFSHORE WIND BY STATE
Why Offshore Wind?

Offshore wind is clean, abundant, and reliable.

Unlocking the power of offshore wind in California and Oregon is critical to achieving the states’ goals of 100% clean energy by 2045 and 2040 respectively. California has set a goal for offshore wind to provide 13% of the state’s power supply by generating 25 GW by 2045.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OFFSHORE WIND
A job creator for rural, port and coastal communities.
A scalable technology that can help America reach its clean energy goals.
A reliable and affordable energy source essential to meeting our energy needs.
A clean and abundant source of 100% carbon-free electricity.
HOW IT WORKS

Floating offshore wind technology

Floating offshore wind turbines enable us to capture wind energy farther from shore and in deeper waters than fixed-bottom offshore wind. Offshore wind turbines are installed on floating foundations anchored to the sea floor with mooring cables. Subsea electric cables carry electricity from turbines to shore.

Floating offshore wind technologyFloating offshore wind technology

Turbines will be affixed to floating foundations roughly the size of a baseball stadium, designed for stability, and made of steel and concrete. Each foundation will be held in place by steel mooring cables connected to anchors on the seafloor.

An offshore substation (floating, submarine or semisubmersible) that will collect power from the turbines and prepare it for transmission to shore.

Electric export cables will transport energy from offshore substations to the high-voltage electric grid onshore.

Turbines will be sited approximately 20-30 miles from shore within the bounds of the projects’ federal leases. They’ll be positioned to harvest maximum power from strong ocean winds while being invisible or barely visible from shore during the day.

Ports, the hubs of offshore wind’s economic benefits, will be outfitted to support turbine assembly, manufacturing of specialized components, and ongoing operations and maintenance at the wind farm.

watch video to learn more about how the technology works
State impact

Learn more about offshore wind in your state.

Offshore wind in California

California

Discover how offshore wind supports California’s clean energy goals, provides reliable power to millions of homes, creates jobs, and boosts economic growth.

Floating offshore wind in OR

Oregon

Discover how offshore wind helps Oregon meet its climate goals and growing demand for energy,  while revitalizing coastal communities and supporting economic growth.