The California Energy Commission on July 10 adopted a plan to develop a floating wind farm off the state’s central and northern coasts, aiming to make it a key power source in the state’s push for carbon neutrality by 2045.
The wind project, which is expected to power 25 million homes by 2045 at full capacity, will have more than 1,600 turbines at least 20 miles off Humboldt Bay in Northern California and Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County.
The commission’s vote last week marks the final stage of a two-year strategic plan mandated by the 2021 passage of AB 525.
“I feel the urgency to move forward swiftly because the climate crisis is upon us,” Commissioner Patty Monahan said before the vote, citing the state’s recent heat wave and wildfires.
According to commissioners, each wind turbine will average around 980 feet, the same height as the Eiffel Tower. However, they will likely not be highly visible from shore due to their distances from the coast.
The turbines will be installed on floating platforms anchored to the seabed. Electrical cables will transport energy from the turbines to either an offshore or onshore substation, feeding to the state’s main transmission grid and distribution system.
Private companies will develop the turbine sites, while state and local agencies will develop ports, grid, and other related infrastructure.
“The plan adopted by the [energy commission] this week is best thought of as a roadmap for developing offshore wind off the coast of California,” energy commission staff told The Epoch Times.
The plan is “looking at what it would take from various state agencies and how they would work together, what is needed to support development of the industry … and understanding how all the pieces fit together.”
The turbines will be constructed at five sites in federal waters, with leases that took effect in June 2023.
Cost and Impacts
The costs for the project, however, remain uncertain.Mona Tucker, Chairwoman for the YTT Tribe from San Luis Obispo County, raised concerns about such. Offshore wind energy is expected to be more expensive to produce compared to other forms of wind energy, according to commissioners.
Norway-based Rystad Energy estimated $13 million for each turbine in a similar project in the Scandinavian country.
Another component of the plan requires upgrading nearby ports to meet the project’s infrastructural needs. Commissioners have estimated it will cost $11 billion to $12 billion to facilitate energy transmission and support the storage, staging, and assembly of parts for offshore operations.
The plan identifies 16 large and 10 small ports along the California coast as potentially able to support offshore wind development over the next decade and beyond.
The three best suited for handling the preparation and assembly of parts for the first phase of the project are the ports of Humboldt, Long Beach, and Los Angeles, the plan shows.
During the commission meeting, some voiced concern over the plan’s potential impacts on marine ecosystems, wildlife, fish population, and the fishing industry.
The impact of offshore wind on marine life has been a concern on the East Coast. States including New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maryland are developing various offshore wind projects, with a few already in operation.
“[The] recent spate of tragic whale and dolphin deaths … has brought new light and increased scrutiny to the fast-tracking of approximately 3,400 offshore wind turbines … in the North Atlantic Planning Area that includes New Jersey’s coast,” Mr. Smith said on the House floor in March 2023.
Although New Jersey does not currently have any operational offshore wind projects, it has several in various stages of development. The congressman said geophysical surveys used in both research and development, including sonar, may be a contributing factor to the deaths.
Experts suggest that noise is a significant factor harming marine mammals, as it can disrupt the navigation of whales, which primarily communicate using low-frequency sounds.
The commissioners acknowledged concerns over the project’s potential environmental effects.
“There’s a lot of uncertainties on the environmental impacts. And we need to be clear-eyed and engage the right scientific interests to make sure that we are carefully moving forward attentive to reducing the environmental impacts as much as we can,” Ms. Monahan said.
Additionally, one representative of the commercial shipping industry also expressed dissatisfaction with the plan, saying it failed to adequately identify and address the project’s impact on commercial shipping.
“The one stakeholder you did not hear during today’s presentation was shipping who will need to share the same ocean waters with the turbines,” Jacqueline Moore, vice president of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, said during the meeting. “Risks and impacts are inevitable.”
Others, however, expressed support for the plan saying it would enhance other green energy initiatives.
