Offshore Wind Energy
According to a study from the American Wind Energy Association in 2020, the United States has a vast offshore wind energy resource that is largely untapped. In fact, the areas off U.S. coasts possess an offshore wind potential of nearly double the nation’s current electricity use.
Along with being abundant, offshore wind generation is highly efficient. Capacity factors for offshore wind farms are higher on average than other forms of renewable energy generation.
Offshore wind development in the U.S. holds an unmatched opportunity to drive job growth and expansion of a the domestic supply chain.
According to American Clean Power, market projections anticipate between 20,000 to 30,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind capacity will be operational by 2030, representing between $28 – $57 billion of investment in the U.S. economy.
Wind turbines are designed to capture the natural power of the wind in our atmosphere and convert it into electricity. People started utilizing wind power centuries ago by using windmills to pump water and grind grain. Today’s wind turbines are a highly evolved version of a windmill. The electricity generated from a single wind turbine can power hundreds of homes.