Going Blue: WA announces it's taking wind energy offshore - Source ONE News
Going Blue: WA announces its taking wind energy offshore | Columbia Basin | yoursourceone.com
SEATTLE – Non-profit organization Washington Maritime Blue took a bold step towards a sustainable future by announcing the Maritime Blue Wind collaborative, aimed at solidifying Washington State’s command in the offshore wind energy supply chain.
Designed to leverage the state’s impressive technical and advanced manufacturing prowess, the collaborative seeks to capitalize on Washington’s geographical advantages, including its deep-water ports, along with the state’s skilled workforce and industry leadership. The target is to foster a robust supply chain ecosystem for floating offshore wind projects, particularly off the California and Oregon coasts.
Joshua Berger, the founder and CEO of Maritime Blue, made the announcement on October 10th, backed by prominent figures like Governor Jay Inslee, representatives from the Ports of Seattle and Everett, and leaders from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Foss Offshore Wind.
One of the pivotal objectives of the Blue Wind collaborative is not only to preserve but to significantly amplify sustainable and equitable job opportunities in Washington State. This growth spans across various sectors, including shipbuilding, maritime operations, tech R&D, wind turbine manufacturing, and materials transportation.
Governor Jay Inslee lauded the initiative, emphasizing Washington's already significant footprint in the clean energy landscape. "With more states and countries turning to offshore wind to harness clean energy, Washington's assets like our skilled workforce, deep-water ports, and advanced manufacturing are unparalleled," Inslee remarked.
In his blog, Inslee says offshore wind energy is gearing up to be a game-changer in the renewable energy sector. With projections estimating its growth into a $70 billion industry in the US by the next decade, the stakes are high. A significant driver behind this anticipated boom is the ambitious goals set by the Biden-Harris administration, coupled with the wind energy plans of states like California and Oregon.
Echoing these sentiments, Joshua Berger added, "With our leading-edge industries and unmatched talent pool, Washington State is poised to be at the forefront of this green revolution. The Blue Wind initiative is a monumental maritime opportunity, and we're committed to ensuring our state's leadership role in it."
In the upcoming weeks, Blue Wind is set to assemble its leadership committee, marking the beginning of a strategic journey that will encompass a diverse representation of stakeholders from ports, industries, tribes, fishing communities, and more. The collaborative's mission is to steer the offshore wind supply chain vision for Washington State, ensuring inclusivity and equity.
Adding to the momentum, Commissioner Ryan Calkins of the Port of Seattle highlighted the urgency of adopting renewable energy solutions, especially in light of recent climate anomalies. "Washington's unmatched maritime and manufacturing expertise positions us perfectly to champion the cause of offshore wind energy, a potent and eco-friendly renewable energy source," Calkins stated.
The initiative has also garnered support from the City of Seattle, the Port of Everett, and Foss Offshore Wind, among others. Funded through a mix of public, private, and philanthropic grants, Maritime Blue will be hosting an event in November in collaboration with the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust (POET) to further delve into supply chain engagement opportunities in the offshore wind sector.
The offshore wind farm initiative is counterintuitive to landlocked wind farms have sprouted up across eastern Washington's landscape over the last two decades.
Related Knowledge Center: Offshore wind energy
Over the next decade, U.S. offshore wind power is expected to grow from a single 30-megawatt wind farm off Rhode Island to more than 2,000 MW of capacity along the Atlantic Seaboard. There are contracts for wind power off the coasts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has estimated the United States has over 4,000 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind potential, enough to power the country four times over.
The growth in part being spurred by state solicitations, including in New York, where then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) set a commitment of 9,000 MW of offshore wind by 2035, and in Connecticut, where in June 2021, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed legislation authorizing the construction of 2,000 MW of offshore wind by 2030.
The offshore development is also being driven by an investment tax credit set to end in December 2019 and is equal to 12 percent of expenditures. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) have introduced a bill to extend the tax credit for up to eight years.
The Interior Department has held eight competitive lease sales that resulted in 15 offshore wind leases over 1.7 million acres that has the potential for 21 GW of capacity. In February 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completed a bidding process that realized $4.37 billion for 488,000 acres across six lease areas in federal waters off New York and New Jersey.
Projects have also been proposed off the Southeast coast, off California and Hawaii, and for the Great Lakes.