BOEM Signals Full Steam Ahead for Oregon Offshore Wind Farms

Following a 60-day public comment period, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Feb. 12 announced two Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) to develop floating offshore wind farms off the southern Oregon coast. The two areas would cover roughly 195,000 acres and have the combined capacity to produce 2.4 gigawatts of energy, the agency said. That’s enough to power about 800,000 homes. The announcement comes in the wake of massive wind project cancellations along the Eastern Seaboard and as Danish wind energy giant Orsted scales back its floating offshore wind development activities, acknowledging that the technology is not yet ready for prime time. It also comes despite strong opposition from tribal communities, the fishing industry, and various coastal constituents....