State Legislation Calls for State Offshore Wind Goals, Follows BOEM Advancing Two Areas for Lease

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation today opening the state's doors to offshore wind development. AB 525, introduced by Assemblymember David Chiu, will require the California Energy Commission to establish offshore wind goals for 2030 and 2045. It also requires the Commission to develop a strategic plan to develop the industry off California's coast as part of the state's overall goals to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2045. With today's bill signing, California advances the domestic supply chain in the United States by further opening up the Pacific Coast to development.

The State of California is primed to develop offshore wind after the federal government's July 2021 announcement of an historic agreement between federal agencies, California agencies, and the Department of Defense to advance offshore wind lease areas off of California's central and northern coasts. Combined, these areas offer 4.6 GW of offshore wind power for the state to draw upon. Advancement of offshore wind off the Pacific Coast requires still-developing floating turbine technology, which provides the United States an extraordinary opportunity to drive innovation and lead deployment next-generation floating offshore wind turbines.

The following statement can be attributed to Nancy Kirshner-Rodriguez, Western Director of the Business Network for Offshore Wind:

"Today's signing of AB 525 by Governor Newsom marks the beginning of a new chapter for the offshore wind industry in California and the Pacific Coast. Led by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-SF), the California Legislature showed its strong support for floating offshore wind off the Pacific Coast as a reliable, renewable energy resource that can be monumental for our state, providing good jobs, manufacturing, and significant opportunities for the development of a regional supply chain. The Business Network for Offshore Wind has been championing the need for strong committed state leadership and we will be an active partner with the Governor and state leaders as we move offshore wind ahead."
For more information or to arrange an interview with a Network spokesperson, contact Melinda Skea at melinda@offshorewindus.org or 202-709-9793.

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About the Business Network for Offshore Wind
The Business Network for Offshore Wind is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a robust offshore wind supply chain in the U.S. It advances the industry forward through education, facilitating partnerships, and events, including the International Offshore Wind Partnership Forum, the largest offshore wind conference in America. Learn more at offshorewindus.org.