May 14, 2021 — The Biden administration greenlit the first large-scale offshore wind project this month in a move that could help jumpstart an industry that thus far has been stagnant in the United States.
It’s a small first step toward meeting a goal President Joe Biden set in March for the U.S. to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, but the country has a long way to go. Currently, the U.S. only has two small-scale pilot offshore wind projects in operation, one off the coast of Rhode Island and the other off the coast of Virginia, totaling about 42 megawatts of power.
Nonetheless, renewable energy advocates and energy analysts say the approval of the first large-scale project is a significant milestone for the offshore wind industry.
“It will facilitate the first wave of significant projects,” said Laura Morton, the senior director of offshore policy and regulatory affairs for the American Clean Power Association.