Expanding U.S. Offshore Wind Development

Viable ports are essential for the development of the offshore wind industry, as they are vital for storage, assembly, and installation ( The White House, 2021 ). They also serve as bases for offshore maintenance and servicing ( Lefevre-Marton et al., 2019 ). In order for OSW development to move forward in a timely manner, the demand for ports that have the capacity to support offshore wind activity must be met. Depicted in the map below are all the ports in the U.S. and their readiness based on the presence of wind turbine installation vessels (WTIVs), the status of existing transmission (feeder) lines, and the state of any floating substructures.

Of the thirty-five identified ports, only Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Virginia is fit to fully support wind installation vessels because it can support loadout of feeder barges and wind turbine installation vessels (Shields et al., 2022). Furthermore, only New Bedford in Massachusetts, Morehead City in North Carolina and Galveston, Texas have unrestricted overhead clearance, meaning the transport and construction of offshore wind components would not be blocked by critical infrastructure ( Elkinton, Blatiak, & Ameen, 2014 ). These ports are especially important as they lower costs of offshore wind by making it cheaper to set turbines on land and improving safety. It is evident that existing ports must be updated to be able to serve OSW projects (Parkison & Kempton, 2022). California has the most existing ports of all coastal states followed by New York. Yet, current West Coast ports lack available infrastructure and may not be economical for the offshore wind industry due to their existing large quantities of imports and exports  ( Shields et al., 2022 ).   A limited number of East Coast ports are fit for storage and assembly, and therefore, will not meet demand  ( Shields et al., 2022 ).  As wind turbines and offshore wind projects continue to grow, the limited existing suitable port infrastructure for offshore wind is becoming increasingly constrained.

To meet the 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030 set by President Biden, both upgrades to existing ports and development of new specialized ports must occur immediately (Musial et al., 2021). In the West Coast and Gulf of Maine, fixed bottom offshore wind is impractical because of the depth of waters where they are installed (U.S. Department of Energy, 2022). Over 58% of the total offshore wind potential in the U.S. is located in deep waters that require floating offshore wind technologies (Musial et al., 2021). Floating turbines will be needed across the West Coast, especially California, Oregon, and Washington, as well as Hawaii and Maine  (O’Boyle & Solomon, 2022;    Fialka, 2020 ). In October of 2021, The Governor’s Energy Office of Maine applied to lease a 15.2 square mile site in the Gulf of Maine through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that would be used to research floating offshore wind. If accepted, it will be the first research site in federal waters ( State of Maine Governor’s Energy Office, n.d. ). Existing U.S. ports do not support floating wind and require increased land area, cranes, and storage to enable assembly, installation and operations of floating offshore wind turbines ( Crowle & Thies, 2022 ). Strategically investing in key ports in this area can ensure support for floating turbine installations across hundreds of miles of coastline ( O’Boyle & Solomon, 2022 ).

Investments in port infrastructure will help secure adequate crane and laydown space necessitated by large-scale commercial projects as well as generate marshaling ports that are used to load and send out parts for assembly at sea (Parkison & Kempton, 2022). Some notable port infrastructure investments include: $650 million for Brayton Point in Massachusetts, $730 million in total distributed across Port of Coeymans, South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, Port of Albany, Port Jefferson Harbor, and Montauk Harbor in New York, $250 million for Port of Paulsboro in New Jersey and $200 million for New Jersey Wind Port (Kohley, 2022).

The Biden Administration has also set out to detail programs to promote investments in ports. For example, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Maritime Administration’s Funding Opportunity through the Port Infrastructure Development Program will provide $450 million dollars for port upgrades for the fiscal year 2022, which is available for offshore wind projects (U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration, 2022). In alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities, the Department evaluates applicants on “how the proposed projects address climate change and environmental justice impacts and advance racial equity, reduce barriers to opportunity, and meet challenges faced by rural areas” ( U.S. Department of Transportation, 2021 ). Of the twenty-five projects which DOT selected as 2021 winners for port upgrades, $20 million was allocated to Portsmouth, Virginia, Marine Terminal in order to build a staging area to support offshore wind projects and $29.5 million to Port of Albany in Albany, New York for the port ot support offshore wind tower manufacturing ( Marsh, 2021).  There is also $3 billion in funding by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO), specifically the LPO’s Title XVII Innovative Energy Loan Guarantee Program that can be used for offshore wind industry partners to scale the U.S.’s offshore wind capacity and support well-paying jobs ( The White House, 2021 ). As of 2021, LPO had provided $1.6 billion for offshore wind projects, equaling 1,000 MW (The White House, 2021).

For the U.S. to ensure a thriving offshore wind industry, investing in upgraded port infrastructure is essential. Ørsted has signed a $13 million lease for Portsmouth Marine Terminal with the possibility of installing an additional $20 million for crane improvements. Ørsted has also invested $13.2 million for Tradepoint Atlantic ( Musial et al., 2021 ). The Connecticut government has signed an agreement with Gateway Terminal, Ørsted, and Eversource for a public-private partnership to develop the State Pier in New London into an offshore wind energy center totalling $157 million ( Musial et al., 2021 ). Additionally, Port of Paulsboro Marine Terminal in New Jersey is being developed by Ocean Wind (Ørsted and PSEG) with EEW, a German steel manufacturer to serve as a dedicated monopile manufacturing facility ( Musial et al., 2021 ). Investing in ports can even decrease total project costs for developers and eventually bring down energy prices. For instance, New Jersey’s $400 million investment in the U.S.’s first purpose-built offshore wind marshaling port has been projected to raise $500 million annually in economic activity (New Jersey Wind Port, n.d.; Marsico, 2021). By understanding local capabilities, state and federal agencies can collaboratively produce strategic plans for port development. This will be critical to meet the pipeline of offshore wind projects, including the 15 reported projects in the permitting phase of development, as well as ultimately reduce project and energy costs. Given that BOEM announced they will increase lease areas auctioned in 2022-2025 and the bids for six leases in New York and New Jersey totaled $4.37 billion in February 2022, a record-breaking number, it is essential port infrastructure is prioritized so the momentum is not stifled (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management [BOEM], 2021; Kirkland and Ellis, 2022).

As the renewable energy sector scales up in the U.S., there is an immediate need for workforce development, yet looming shortages of skilled workers within renewable energy threaten to limit this growth (Kohley, 2022). A diverse range of occupations are called for if the sector is to meet projected growth (Shields et al., 2022). Some of these jobs include site-level workers such as laborers and painters, engineers, and facilities maintenance.

If 30 GW is to be met by 2030, over 44,000 full time equivalent (FTE) offshore wind jobs will be created by 2030 with an additional 33,000 jobs generated in communities that are supported by offshore wind activity ( The White House, 2021 ). 31,300 of these FTE jobs will support the construction of offshore wind farms in installation, manufacturing and supply chain jobs. Another 13,400 FTE jobs will support the operating period of offshore wind, including operations and maintenance technicians, management, and supply chain jobs ( Musial et al., 2022 ).

Many colleges and universities offer degrees in wind energy, including both major universities and local technical schools (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy [EERE], 2022). Labor unions are well positioned to educate and train talent in this field; however, a significant increased investment into these programs is needed ( Shields et al., 2022 ).

Specific states have also acted by implementing their own training programs. Wind Win RI in Rhode Island is aiming to bring offshore wind programs to primary and secondary aged students, ultimately creating a workforce pipeline. Their programs allow high schoolers to take courses on OSW topics, from marine safety to engineering, and ideally graduate with an offshore wind energy certification that translates to college credits ( North Kingstown Chamber, n.d.; Dalton, 2018 ). Another example is the Maryland Offshore Wind Workforce Training Program that provides funding for more than one million in annual education expenses, covering up to seventy-five percent of industry and educational expenses (Maryland Energy Administration, 2021). Finally, in West Virginia, Clearway Energy, one of the largest renewable owners in the U.S., has launched a wind energy technician pilot apprenticeship program that provides paid training for individuals who are affected by West Virginia’s declining coal industry (Clearway Energy, 2022; Kohley, 2022). Although this program is not offshore wind specific, it is a notable example of supporting a just energy transition.

Apprenticeship programs are vital to help recruit and train individuals in the energy sector. In 2020, 12,022 registered apprenticeships were reported within the energy sector, doubling in size over the course of the past nine years (U.S. Department of Labor [DOL], n.d.). One existing apprenticeship program for renewable energy, including offshore wind, is put on by The Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) and the Power for America Training Trust Fund (P4A). This program will be Department of Labor (DOL) certified as well as provide pay and benefits over the course of the two and a half years for apprentices, ultimately leading to a job with Consumers Energy ( Skopljak, 2019 ).

Union groups across the country have been instrumental in moving renewable energy labor standards forward across the country. Climate Jobs Rhode Island, a recently launched climate jobs coalition, has been advocating increased investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency, securing racial and economic equity across Rhode Island, and creating quality jobs with living wages (Climate Jobs Rhode Island, 2022). On June 29, 2022 Rhode Island’s Governor Dan McKee signed into law legislation that requires renewable energy projects generating 3 or more MW to hire union labor and apprentices while paying prevailing wages if projects are funded or incentivized by Rhode Island ( Bright, 2022 ). Climate Jobs NY (CJNY), a coalition of 2.6 million union members, was instrumental in achieving a similar requirement in New York. In April of 2021, New York State legislatures agreed on a $212 billion budget that requires any construction or renewable-energy projects 5 MW or larger to meet prevailing wage and project labor agreement requirements ( ILR Worker Institute, 2021 ). It also incentivizes local sourcing of wind turbine manufacturing, accelerating a green supply chain ( ILR Worker Institute, 2021 ). On July 5, 2022, Governor Hochul signed Legislation A.9598/S.8648 which furthered previous legislation and mandated renewable energy projects 1 MW or larger that involve the procurement of renewable energy credits from a public entity to meet prevailing wage requirements (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority [NYSERDA], 2022). In Maine, the Maine Labor Climate Council, a coalition of twelve unions, secured a law in 2022 mandating prevailing wages and equity standards on all large, utility-scale renewable energy projects, including offshore wind, as well as pre-apprenticeship programs to help locals access union-registered apprenticeship programs (Neumann, 2022). Connecticut has a similar law enacted on July 1, 2021 that establishes prevailing wage, responsible contractor, and apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship requirements for construction, as well as prevailing wage for operations and maintenance on all renewable projects 2 MW or greater ( An Act Concerning a Just Transition To Climate Protective Energy Production And Community Investment, 2021 ). With the assistance of Connecticut labor leaders and the Climate Jobs National Resource Center, this law was introduced by the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate Jobs, a group that partners with labor unions, environmental groups, social justice organizations, students, and religious institutions to advocate for good paying, union clean energy jobs (Connecticut Roundtable on Climate Jobs, 2021).

Training programs and apprenticeships can also target frontline communities, increasing community members’ access to offshore wind jobs. For example, New York has established a Jobs and Supply Chain Technical Working Group (JSC-TWG) that studies industry and job needs, creates training frameworks, and identifies new academic degree programs to help equip New Yorkers, including low-income, priority populations, or disadvantaged populations with the skills for emerging jobs  (New York State, n.d.).  While these existing educational and apprenticeship opportunities are a step in the right direction for localizing the offshore wind industry’s supply chain in the U.S., federal policy and investment is necessary to accelerate this process.