The Future of Offshore Wind Energy in the United States

As the world continues to shift towards renewable energy sources, offshore wind has emerged as a key player in the transition. While the United States has been slower to adopt offshore wind compared to Europe, recent developments have shown a promising future for the industry in American waters.

Trump Administration’s Stance

U.S. President Donald Trump, in his first day of office, suspended new federal offshore wind leasing pending an environmental and economic review. Trump criticized wind mills as ugly, expensive, and harmful to wildlife. However, this executive order is not expected to halt existing U.S. offshore wind projects from progressing.

European Companies Leading the Way

Despite the political challenges, many European companies have invested in the U.S. offshore wind sector. These companies are at the forefront of developing projects along the East Coast and California:

• BP: The British oil major is planning the Beacon Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts, in partnership with Japan’s Jera.
• EDF: Through its joint venture, Atlantic Shores, EDF, along with Shell, has approval for projects in New Jersey.
• EDPR: Portugal’s EDPR, in collaboration with Engie, is working on the Southcoast Wind project in Massachusetts.
• Engie: The French company, through its Ocean Winds JV with EDPR, is developing projects in New York, New Jersey, and California.
• Equinor: Norway’s Equinor is progressing with the Empire Wind project in New York and has secured leases in Delaware and California.
• Iberdrola: The Spanish company’s U.S. subsidiary, Avangrid, is involved in projects off Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, and more.
• Orsted: Denmark’s Orsted, the owner of the first operational offshore wind farm in the U.S., is developing projects off Rhode Island and the East Coast.
• RWE: Germany’s RWE, in partnership with Britain’s National Grid, is working on projects in the Northeast U.S.
• Shell: The oil major has joint ventures with EDF for projects in New Jersey.
• TotalEnergies: France’s TotalEnergies is developing projects in the New York Bight and North Carolina’s Long Bay.

Challenges and Delays

While the industry shows great potential, there have been challenges and delays. Orsted recently announced a delay in the commissioning of the Sunrise Wind project to 2027, citing higher costs and delays. Additionally, RWE and TotalEnergies have faced setbacks in their projects off the coast of New York and New Jersey.

Conclusion

Despite the obstacles, the U.S. offshore wind sector is poised for significant growth in the coming years. With European companies leading the way and ambitious targets set by the Biden administration, offshore wind is set to play a crucial role in the country’s clean energy future.