West Coast’s Energy Revolution: Floating Wind Farms to Power Millions by 2050

Researchers from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have modeled scenarios where floating offshore wind farms off the West Coast could provide up to 33 GW of electricity by 2050. The proposed plan includes installing 13 GW off California and 2 GW off Oregon by 2035, expanding to 25 GW off California, 6 GW off Oregon, and 2 GW off Washington by 2050. This initiative aims to support the Western U.S. in meeting an estimated 400 GW of new generation capacity needed by mid-century and would bolster transmission infrastructure. However, challenges such as the nascent state of floating wind technology and the current lack of necessary port and grid infrastructure could impede progress, necessitating substantial investment and development efforts. Read more.