For California, 2020 was supposed to be a big year for offshore winds. Industry representatives and stakeholders had hopes of a decision following an RFI for the BOEM call areas, or potentially additional area selections. But BOEM has yet to take any action since 2019 when it identified Humboldt Bay, Morro Bay, and Diablo Canyon as potential offshore wind project sites.

The proposal would help update and expand the port’s facilities and would replicate Quonset’s successful “Site Readiness” initiative statewide. Administered by the Quonset Development Corporation (QDC), funds would be invested in preparing business-ready parcels for manufacturing and other services across Rhode Island.

New England continues to drive the deployment of offshore wind, with thousands of megawatts slated for federal waters off the coasts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Earlier this month, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced the formation of a new task force to help the state fully realize its potential in the growing offshore wind industry.