Offshore Wind California promotes policies and builds public support for responsible development of offshore wind power in California. As a coalition of industry partners, our members are dedicated to providing an independent voice and industry expertise to facilitate offshore wind deployment off California's coast. OWC engages in public education and advocacy in support of this renewable resource as part of a comprehensive solution to California's energy needs. Offshore Wind California is a nonprofit, 501(c)(6) organization.
Featured Event
SAVE THE DATE
2025 Pacific Offshore Wind Summit
May 19-21, 2025
SAFE Credit Union Convention Center
Sacramento, CA
This past year, more than 700 industry leaders, federal and state officials, and key stakeholders gathered in Sacramento to discuss progress and policies that are shaping the future of offshore wind on the West Coast. We’ve set plans now to return to California’s state capital for the 2025 Summit. So save the date, and we look forward to seeing you in Sacramento in May 2025!
For information on the 2025 Summit, click here
To view the agenda for this past spring’s 2024 Summit, click here
See Highlights of the 2024 Pacific Offshore Wind Summit here
Featured Podcast
The prospects for offshore wind in California
by David Roberts, Volts Podcast, August 14, 2024
In late July, Volts podcast host David Roberts held a conversation on the prospects and future of California offshore wind with Adam Stern, executive director, Offshore Wind California, and Jocelyn Brown-Saracino, offshore wind lead at the US Department of Energy. David Roberts: “There’s been talk about offshore wind in California for decades, but the last few years have seen a flurry of activity… Virtually all of the state’s big players — the legislature, the California Energy Commission, the state's public utility commission, and the state's grid operator — have put forward planning or goals or funding or some kind of support for offshore wind… I’m talking to Adam Stern, head of the industry coalition Offshore Wind California, and Jocelyn Brown-Saracino, the offshore wind lead at the US Department of Energy. We’ll get into everything California is doing to spin up an industry and the current state of floating wind turbines, which will be needed in the deep West Coast waters…”
Listen to full podcast
Featured News Story
Here’s what California’s offshore wind industry might look like
By Caleigh Wells, Marketplace, August 1, 2024
Near the mouth of the Port of Long Beach is a giant, empty square of calm ocean water. It doesn’t look like much now, especially in the context of the nation’s largest port complex. But if things go as planned, it’ll be ground zero for California’s offshore wind industry and for floating turbines in the United States.
The state recently decided on a plan to build hundreds of turbines off of the coast, and in November, its voters will decide whether to approve a bond that would help fund those turbines. Pilot projects in Europe have demonstrated that the technology is feasible, but it’s never been tried at this scale.
Read more
Featured Survey
New PPIC poll: 78% of Californians support offshore wind projects off CA coast, July 2024
See these encouraging results from the latest Public Policy Institute of California statewide survey on Californians and the Environment. When 1,648 adults were asked, overwhelming majorities favor “allowing wind power and wave energy projects off the California coast.” 78% of all adults favor them, including 67% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats, and support for offshore wind increases to 81% among likely California voters. The total figure is up from 72% in 2019. Support for offshore wind is strong across all major demographic groups (click here for more details).
Featured Video
Going Big on California Offshore Wind – Setting a Course for 25 GW & Beyond (5:58)
Offshore Wind California, September 2023
Watch the new video highlighting California offshore wind’s milestones and momentum, and essential next steps to deliver its benefits, coming out of the 2023 Pacific Offshore Wind Summit in Sacramento. “Twenty miles off California’s coast, in the deep blue Pacific Ocean waters, a clean-energy revolution is in the making. One that promises to bring big benefits to Golden State residents by creating new jobs and investment in our port communities and help California meet its climate, clean-energy, and grid-reliability goals. Large floating offshore wind turbines – assembled by California workers and spinning out-of-sight to most shore dwellers – are poised to play a vital role in ensuring the state’s renewable energy future as part of a diverse clean-power portfolio that keeps the lights on and electric grid humming around the clock… California is setting a course to be global leader and hub for floating offshore wind… The time to act is now.”
Watch video here
Featured Reports
Assembly Bill 525 Offshore Wind Strategic Plan: California Energy Commission, Final Commission Report, Gov. Gavin Newsom, June 2024
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved the state's final AB 525 strategic plan to deploy floating offshore wind in California. Over the last two and a half years, the CEC has evaluated the essential next steps required for each part of the developing industry, including environmental reviews, economic impacts, transmission, ports, procurement, permitting, supply chain, stakeholder engagement, and suitable seaspace, to create a comprehensive roadmap. The CEC identified key challenges and proposed clear and achievable pathways, working with other California agencies and considering input from industry experts, labor unions, environmental organizations, port communities, Tribal groups, fishermen, and trade associations. The result is a detailed plan that will guide developers and state agencies to provide clean energy for millions of Californians and to responsibly establish an entirely new industry in the process. The final strategic plan represents a watershed moment in California's course and commitment to install 2 to 5 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045.
Read full report here
In the fall of 2022, Offshore Wind California, along with individual member companies, worked together to prepare a report on progress and developments in the state’s offshore wind power industry. This document, which updates a March 2021 report addressing questions from staff at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), aims to provide a resource to help inform policy makers, key stakeholders, and industry leaders as California moves forward to realize its new planning goals to generate up to 5 GW from offshore wind by 2030 and a nation-leading 25 GW by 2045.
The November 2022 industry report includes an Executive Summary and 11 Sections that address the following topics: 1) Global Offshore Wind Expanding Rapidly, 2) U.S. East Coast Progress on Fixed-Bottom Foundations, 3) California’s 25 GW Goal for Floating Wind & Initial Lease Auction, 4) Cost Projections Declining for Floating Offshore Wind, 5) Permitting & Timeline to Meet California’s Goals, 6) Transmission to Connect Offshore Wind to California’s Grid, 7) Procurement of Offshore Wind at Scale, 8) Federal Initiatives to Reduce Costs & Save Ratepayers Billions, 9) Technology & Research – Going Big with Floating Wind, 10) Planning a Multi-Port Infrastructure Strategy, and 11) California Jobs, Workforce & Supply Chain.
Read the full report here
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