Secretaries Salazar and Chu Announce Plans to Develop Offshore Wind Energy

On February 7, Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, and Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, announced plans to advance offshore wind energy projects in the United States. The National Offshore Wind Strategy is the first-ever interagency plan developed for offshore wind energy, demonstrating a “strong federal family commitment,” and includes funding opportunities of $50.5 million over five years. The funding will be applied in three different areas including the development of cost-competitive wind turbine design tools, studies to identify key factors limiting the deployment of offshore wind energy, and the refinement of next-generation drivetrain designs. In addition, four areas off the coasts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia have been identified as part of Salazar’s “Smart from the Start” program to accelerate offshore wind energy development. These areas will receive early environmental reviews that will expedite the leasing and approval process for turbine facilities.

Chu stated that offshore wind energy can help “reduce greenhouse gas emissions, diversify our energy supply, and stimulate economic revitalization.” Expediting the deployment of renewable offshore wind energy presents an opportunity to meet the President’s goal of producing 80 percent of the nation’s electricity from “clean energy sources” by 2035.