Energy Department unveils strategy to boost offshore wind energy

The Energy Department released a new strategy on Wednesday to expand domestic offshore wind energy.

Energy Department officials unveiled their new plan to met President Biden’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, which could power 10 million homes. It’s part of a larger goal to achieve 110 gigawatts or more by 2050, according to the Energy Department.

“The transformative potential of offshore wind energy is critical to achieving President Biden’s bold clean energy goals,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement. “As our Offshore Wind Energy Strategy shows, we’re leveraging all resources across our department to harness this clean and reliable American energy source, which will create tens of thousands of good-paying, union jobs and revitalize coastal communities.”

The department says the plans would also support 77,000 jobs and generate $12 billion annually in private investments. It also noted that there is currently 40 gigawatts of offshore wind energy in various locations that are currently in “different stages of development.”

The plan aims to reduce off-shore wind costs from $73 per megawatt-hour today to $51 by 2030 and $45 by 2035, as well as developing a domestic supply chain for the project.

The strategy also states that the U.S. wants to focus on improving “transmission solutions” for “large-scale” offshore wind deployment and advance technologies for the industry.