The northern and central coasts of California are opening up to commercial scale wind energy projects under a plan announced Tues., May 25 by the Biden Administration.
White House officials said the move to catalyze offshore wind energy is part of the president’s commitment to build new American infrastructure and a clean energy future that creates good paying jobs.
The Interior Department, in coordination with the Defense Department, has identified the Morro Bay 399 area to support three gigawatts of offshore wind on roughly 399 square miles off of California’s central coast region, northwest of Morro Bay. The two areas would potentially enable development of a significant new domestic clean energy resource for years to come, White House officials said.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland noted that the offshore wind industry has the potential to create tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs across America while combating the negative effects of climate change.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said development of offshore wind for clean energy goals and to address climate change could provide renewable energy for up to 1.6 million homes over the next decade. Newsom said the plan represents an approach needed for a clean energy economy that protects coasts, fisheries, marine life and tribal and cultural resources.
National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy said that the announcement demonstrates that by taking a whole-of-government approach, the U.S. can smartly develop the nation’s world-class offshore wind energy resources and deploy new technologies that the government has helped to advance while creating thousands of good paying jobs.