White House officials and Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a major agreement to build offshore wind farms off the coast of California on Tuesday, providing the state with a major source of renewable energy.
White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy said it is part of the Biden administration’s goal to invest in renewable energy and deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind in the United States by 2030.
The agreement will lead to the development of two offshore wind farms: a massive 399 square mile farm off the coast of Morro Bay on the central coast and a possible farm off the coast of Humboldt.
The two farms together would potentially generate 4.6 gigawatts, enough to power 1.6 million homes.
"We’re well on our way to meeting the president’s commitment… which would create 80,000 jobs," said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.
The announcement comes after the administration announced a similar project off the coast of Martha's Vineyard earlier this month.
The two projects in California are expected to create thousands of union jobs in the state, which Secretary Haaland said underscores the administration’s argument that clean energy and economic development are not competing goals.
"California prides itself on really trying to lead in the nation in changing the way we produce and consume energy," said Gov. Gavin Newsom, who added that this is a big step towards meeting the state’s clean energy goals. "This is a big deal, and we’re looking to scale this vision."
Offshore wind is thought to be stronger and more consistent than land-based wind, and Gov. Newsom said it would help make the state's supply of renewable energy more reliable, particularly in the evenings when solar production drops off.
Gov. Newsom also emphasized that because these farms are being built 20 miles off the coast, their development will not have an environmental impact on residents, a win for environmental justice.
"We’re talking about a game changing investment in a green energy future that is not a development near communities that are traditionally underserved, that usually bear the burden, not the benefits."
Federal officials said it took years of collaboration between the Departments of the Interior and Defense in order to identify the two areas that are both suitable for an offshore wind farm and do not interfere with the DoD's operations.
While Gov. Newsom said the state will condense the environmental review process, a project of this size is still likely to face many regulatory, legal and technological challenges.
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