Biden Administration Throws Support Behind Floating Offshore Wind
The Biden administration announced a goal of installing as much as 15 GW of floating offshore wind energy capacity by 2035, and said it plans to auction off leases to support project development by the end of this year.
The Sept. 15 announcement touted both the potential of offshore wind and its impact on reducing carbon emissions from the energy sector. Administration officials on Thursday said deployment of floating offshore wind would prevent 26 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually—an amount officials said is equivalent to emissions from about 26 coal-fired power plants.
“Floating wind has incredible potential. It can establish the United States as a global leader in advancing new technology, and thus new projects, and it can help us achieve our climate and economic goals,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said at a news conference Thursday. The plan to support floating offshore wind is in addition to the administration’s separate goal of installing at least 30 GW of offshore wind in general by 2030.…
