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Wind Power Rebounding After Tough 2023

Photo Courtesy Mike Setchell

2023 was not a breeze for the wind power industry, so much so that solar leapfrogged it as the most-used renewable energy source. Multiple projects were canceled for various reasons, but that trend is starting to subside. As of April, more than two dozen offshore wind projects have gone online off the East Coast. That number is expected to double in the coming months. 

It’s not considered a wind power boom, but projections suggest 2024 will have one of the highest rates of wind deployment in the U.S. The government wants to deploy up to 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power by 2030. The White House expressed confidence in hitting the goal in 2025. The Department of the Interior recently approved two new projects in the past four months, bringing it to nine approved wind power plants set up off the East Coast. 

The latest came in early July with the Atlantic Shores South project in New Jersey. That brought the power generation up to 13 GW of wind power, which can now power up to 5 million homes.

Floating turbines are also being experimented with as more go up. A few were utilized in Maine last year with good results. The floating turbines created more energy than stationary ones. The goal was to generate enough power for 750,000 homes. Floating structures can be installed and tethered to the seafloor at depths that exceed 100 feet. 

“They will avoid the classic visual impact concerns that caused a lot of projects to be delayed or become not very popular because they could be seen from shore,” Walter Musial, who leads offshore wind research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, told CNN.

Photo Courtesy Shaun Dakin

2023 was not the best year for wind turbine installations — to put it lightly. More ships were built to accommodate the massive turbine blades involved in creating them, but not many got off the ground. Concerns about inflation and prices associated with operations hurt the bottom line. 

There were also concerns about whale strandings during construction, but these were largely unfounded. Scientists haven’t found evidence to suggest this claim is accurate.  

Wind power faces a lot of backlash due to what some call NIMBY-ism (not in my backyard). One example was in Massachusetts, where the Nantucket island community protested the installation of a wind farm off the island shore because local homeowners did not want to see the turbines from their home view. 

Likewise, Danish energy giant Ørsted canceled a New Jersey offshore project due to record-high interest rates and a supply chain issue. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was outraged by the decision. Even with increased incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, wind power faces an uphill battle. 

The latest approvals and the green light for the Atlantic Shores South project show a commitment to achieving that 30 GW goal.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland points to the Investing in America agenda, fostering further employment, restoring America’s manufacturing sector, and providing clean power for all. 

Photo Courtesy Abby Anaday

Sam Huntington of S&P Global Insights said that any canceled project will likely be reopened and rebid at higher prices as demand for clean power grows. It’s a positive sign for the industry as more investors line up for the chance to set up a wind power plant. 

Local and state governments are considering wind as a supplemental power source paired with solar. Some are also using wind power to reduce reliance on natural gas or using natural gas to make up for electricity wind can’t generate. These advancements are setting up wind power and renewables, in general, for a solid year of growth.

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