Page 46: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Mar/Apr 2020)

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THE FINAL WORD OFFSHORE WIND

PROTECTING THE

FUTURE OF

OFFSHORE WIND

By Erik G. Milito, President, National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) he American offshore wind outlook is bright. In August 2019, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Regulatory and technological questions regarding (BOEM) announced a delay of the Final Environmental Im- offshore wind are clearing up. Atlantic states are pact Statement (FEIS). In February 2020, BOEM updated

T offering to purchase more and more gigawatts of the permitting timeline for Vineyard Wind, saying the FEIS wind-produced energy. Wind producers have demonstrated will be out by mid-December 2020. that they are willing to make substantial ?nancial commit- Delays, especially regulatory delays, are disappointing and ments to the industry. With all this progress, however, one worrisome for supporters of any type of project. But for off- cloud stubbornly remans: the Vineyard Wind permitting de- shore wind supporters, the Vineyard Wind delay doesn’t just lay. impact one project or one company. The Vineyard Wind de-

Offshore Massachusetts, the 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind lay could have a ripple effect throughout the entire America is supposed to be the ?rst offshore, utility-scale wind project. offshore wind sector and impact the ability of wind producers

In the U.S. alone, close to $70 billion in capital expenditures by 2030 will be needed, and more than 160,000 direct, indirect or induced jobs could be created by 2050. © Federico Rostagno/AdobeStock 46 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM