California Energy Commission Adopts Offshore Wind Strategic Plan

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has adopted a Strategic Plan for Offshore Wind that will guide the development of offshore wind energy in the state.

The plan provides analysis and strategies for deploying floating turbines off the coast of central and northern California, with a goal of achieving 25 GW by 2045, which would power 25 million homes.

“The adoption of this comprehensive offshore wind strategic plan marks another important milestone on California’s journey toward a 100 percent clean energy future.” said the CEC chairman David Hochschild.

“Offshore wind has the potential to accelerate the clean energy transition by providing a steady, reliable source of clean electricity, supporting our ambitious climate goals, creating local manufacturing jobs and driving economic development. We are committed to harnessing this clean resource to ensure a sustainable energy future for all Californians.”

California’s power grid currently has nearly 35 GW of renewable energy, but to meet its 2045 goal, the state will need an additional 14 GW, which would likely require the development of land and ocean in many regions of the state.

Offshore wind stands out for its potential to generate massive amounts of electricity from the strong, consistent winds off California’s coast, the CEC said. In addition, offshore wind can generate electricity during times when solar energy is weak, such as at night and in the winter, providing a complementary electricity generation profile to the state’s renewable energy portfolio.

Offshore wind development is expected to bring significant economic benefits to California, according to the CEC. A recent study projects the creation of more than 8,000 jobs at the peak of offshore wind development, many of which will be unionized, providing stable and well-paying employment opportunities.

“As we move forward with our plans to expand offshore wind in California, we are investing not only in renewable energy, but also in the future of our state’s economy. Offshore wind will create thousands of new jobs for Californians, from manufacturing to maintenance, and build a robust supply chain to support this growing industry.” he said Dee Dee MyersSenior Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom and Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

“Our commitment to offshore wind will deliver sustainable growth, reduce our carbon footprint and ensure a cleaner, brighter future for all Californians.”

This plan will underscore a commitment to responsible development that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of pollution on the climate, communities, public health and the environment, and minimizes impacts on California Native American tribes, ocean users and marine wildlife.

Floating wind technology has been discovered off the coast of California because it is particularly suited to operating in deep water and offers a number of benefits, including the ability to access stronger and more stable wind sources further from shore and reduced environmental disturbance to the seabed.

What’s next?

Once the Strategic Plan is adopted, CEC and partner agencies will evolve it through further discussions and consultations with tribal governments, underserved communities, fisheries, industry, ocean users, environmental and environmental justice groups, and federal, state, and local agencies; and by developing and analyzing the recommendations and strategies developed in the Strategic Plan.

This Strategic Plan is the fourth and final work product that CEC was required to prepare under Assembly Bill 525 in partnership with federal, state and local agencies, tribal authorities, and a broad range of stakeholders.

This project incorporates and builds on three earlier requirements of AB 525: setting planning targets of 2-5 GW by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045; a preliminary assessment of the economic benefits of offshore wind related to port investments and workforce development; and a conceptual permitting roadmap.

California’s AB 525, passed in 2021, directed the CEC to set offshore wind targets for 2030 and 2045. In 2022, the commission set a goal of 25 GW of offshore wind generation by 2045. It also required the commission to develop a strategic plan, released last month, that aims to leverage offshore wind to achieve 100% clean energy by 2045.

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