Newly Adopted Offshore Wind Goals from California Energy Commission Show State is Prepared to “Go Big” on Offshore Wind and Stand Up First-of-its-Kind Renewable Energy Industry on the West Coast

The state energy commission adopted new offshore wind planning goals of 2-5 GW by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045—the two targets recommended by clean energy companies and a coalition of environmental groups, labor, and environmental justice advocates 

SACRAMENTO — American Clean Power-California (ACP-CA) released the statement below on behalf of Alex Jackson, Director of American Clean Power-California, after the California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted the nation’s most ambitious offshore wind goals—setting a target of 2-5 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045.

The CEC was directed to assess the “maximum feasible capacity” of offshore wind California could produce in the next several decades by last year’s AB 525 (Chiu), which gave the agency until this summer to finalize the state’s first draft goals for this untapped source of renewable energy. The Commission’s final targets will put the state on a path to meeting roughly 25% of its total electricity needs from offshore wind by the middle of this century. The new CEC goals will now guide the development of a strategic plan for offshore wind in federal waters that must be completed by June 30, 2023.

The statement below can be attributed to ACP-CA’s Alex Jackson:

“With the passage of AB 525 last year, Governor Newsom and the Legislature put California on the path to becoming a global leader in floating offshore wind—with all of the environmental, economic, and energy benefits that go with it.”

“The California Energy Commission’s vote today shows commissioners recognize the incredible potential of this new, untapped source of renewable energy. Adopting a goal of 25 GW by 2045 sends a critical signal that California is ready to meet this moment—and gives the state’s clean energy companies the green light that we need to get to work, at scale, to provide the clean power Californians are going to rely on for decades to come.”

“American Clean Power-California looks forward to working with the Governor, Legislature, and state and federal agencies to ensure these goals continue to anchor the strategic plan due next year. There is still lots of work to do to stand up the first-of-its-kind renewable energy industry on the West Coast—from investing in our ports, workforce, and transmission systems to updating our state’s procurement processes. Today’s vote shows California leaders have the vision it will take to get this job done.”

ACP-California is a state project of the national trade association.