The Offshore Wind Industry Is Committed To Safeguarding The Marine Environment

Offshore wind is a domestic clean energy source that helps combat one of the biggest threats to marine life – the warming of our oceans as a result of climate change. Proposed offshore renewable energy projects are being designed in a manner that addresses and promotes the conservation of marine mammals and other protected species.

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The Facts

The offshore wind sector is currently making one of the largest investments in ocean monitoring and data collection ever undertaken offshore in the Atlantic. These investments include the development of new and innovative technologies to achieve, or exceed, compliance with regulations under the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts, among others.  

Offshore wind companies are planning projects that involve the implementation of an extensive suite of measures aimed at mitigating impacts and creating benefits for marine mammals. The offshore wind industry is meeting and exceeding marine mammal protection laws by investing in new whale monitoring technology, voluntarily pausing work during migration seasons, using mitigation systems to reduce construction noise, and operating at sea with professional observers trained to avoid whales.

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Offshore Wind Means Clean Energy and Jobs

The U.S. has world-class offshore wind resources, capable of supplying large amounts of affordable, reliable power. Offshore wind offers the United States a tremendous opportunity to be an economic engine of growth and a viable part of the energy mix.   The offshore wind sector is projected to invest $65 billion in offshore wind projects by 2030, which will support 56,000 jobs in the United States. States have established offshore wind procurement targets that will bring more clean, reliable energy to more Americans.

State solicitations could award procurement contracts for an additional 8,800 – 12,200 MW of offshore wind projects in the second half of 2024, all located off the Northeast coast. New Jersey took the lead among the states for most offshore wind capacity under contract. The Garden State has 5,252 MW of projects under contract. Virginia has the most offshore wind capacity under construction, with 2,587 MW.

Building the U.S. offshore wind project pipeline will create a new domestic supply chain, accelerate manufacturing growth, revitalize port communities, and enhance critical port infrastructure. The offshore wind industry is investing billions of dollars in a domestic supply chain, including investments in fabrication facilities, port upgrades, vessels, and workforce training.

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