So far, there are no offshore wind farms in U.S. waters, but there are a number of projects under development. According to the NREL, about 20 projects representing more than 2,000 megawatts of capacity are in the planning and permitting process, mostly in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, although projects are also being considered along the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Coast.
offshore underwater turbine
Verdant Power's Free Flow System (Credit: Verdant Power)
The Cape Wind Project, in federal waters off the coast of Massachusetts, has been approved by the federal government with support from NRDC. Wave, tidal, and current projects are also being tested at a small scale to assess and reduce any negative ocean impacts and make adjustments to improve efficiency and compatibility with existing uses of the ocean.
Recently, Verdant Power received approval to build the first commercial tidal power project in the United States, in New York City's East River, off Roosevelt Island, with thirty underwater tidal turbines. The East River's four-mile-per-hour current will spin the blades of the 20-foot-tall turbines, which are just six to eight feet below the surface. That creates electricity, which will be run through a large cable along the river's floor.
Ensuring that offshore renewable energy projects are sustainably sited, designed and built will help minimize conflicts with sensitive marine habitat and with human activities in the water. The process of marine spatial planning will help all interested stakeholders decide on the best places to develop offshore renewable energy.