A new industry is setting sail from the Central Coast with the opportunity for hundreds of long-term, good-paying jobs operating the nation’s first floating wind farms.
REACH is collaborating closely with dozens of state, federal and local agencies, three lease-winning global companies, education and community stakeholders to stake out the region’s role in this critical emerging industry. This spans planning for infrastructure, workforce and other industry needs and ensuring the Central Coast reaches its economic goals while helping the state and nation meet clean energy goals.
Offshore wind on the Central Coast
- Three global companies invested $425 million to develop wind farms in 376 square miles of federal waters about 20 miles off SLO County’s North Coast in a December 2022 auction.
- The companies pledged an additional $27 million in community benefits and $66 million for workforce training and supply chain development.
- Site evaluation and planning is expected to take several years, with a goal of starting operations by 2030.
- Once developed, the wind farms could produce up to 6 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy — enough to power around 3.5 million homes.
MEET THE DEVELOPERS
Atlas Wind
Atlas Wind is operated by Equinor, a Norwegian multinational that owns and operates the world’s first floating wind farm and is developing two large wind farms offshore New York and Massachusetts.
“California’s energy future is blowing in the wind off of Morro Bay.”
“Offshore wind holds incredible promise as a means to tackle climate change while also creating economic opportunity, and the Central Coast is uniquely poised to reap the benefits.”
“Our climate and our economy will benefit immensely from purposeful actions on thoughtful offshore wind development.”
“We have a long history as an energy-producing county, and this offers the possibility of reinventing that legacy as a central underpinning of our economy.”
“Humboldt and Morro Bay … could be among the first commercial-scale floating wind power plants in the world, leading the deployment of new technology that has potential to deliver clean energy to coastal regions worldwide.”
“Offshore wind is here to stay. Here in California, we are going to bring it to scale, starting at the Morro Bay and Humboldt Wind Energy Areas.”
“Investment in the offshore wind industry in the U.S. is expected to reach $17 billion by 2025, $108 billion by 2030 and $166 billion by 2035.”
“Offshore wind is a win-win-win for the state and the Central Coast: more jobs, more clean power, and more tax revenue for local government.”
Key recent activities
- Secured $1.7 million in state funding for SLO County to support infrastructure planning, community engagement and staffing
- Hosted the three lease winners on a welcome tour of the Central Coast and meet-and-greet with key local stakeholders
- Partnered with the Counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara and the City of Morro Bay to study options for infrastructure enhancements to support industry development
- Spearheaded a joint letter from 25 regional leaders — representing both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, cities, chambers, higher education — to the lease winners expressing the community’s interest in partnering to responsibly advance offshore wind on the Central Coast
- Testified at a Congressional field hearing on offshore wind’s economic impact, among other speaking engagements statewide
- Commissioned a study on potential economic benefits of offshore wind on the Central Coast
