Oregon Announces First Offshore Wind Farm

The West Coast’s first offshore wind energy farm project will be developed off the coast of Oregon, reported ABC News last month.  Five floating wind turbines will be built fifteen miles off the shore of Coos Bay and are expected to generate 30 megawatts of energy (enough to power 8,000 homes) by late 2017, federal and state officials announced last Wednesday.

Seattle-based Principle Power will develop the turbines using floating wind turbine technology that has never been used in the United States.  Although several offshore projects have been developed on the Atlantic coast, those turbines are anchored to the seabed.  Anchoring turbines is not an option on the West Coast because the ocean is too deep to plant the turbines into the seabed as close to shore as necessary.  

In December 2012, Principle Power received $4 million from the Department of Energy to fund the project.  The DOE funded seven projects, only one of which is located on the West Coast.  Of those seven projects, up to three will be selected to receive an additional $46.6 million from the DOE.

Offshore wind farms are expensive, which, given Oregon’s plentiful supply of cheap hydropower, has led to some criticism of the project.  However, proponents say offshore wind farms could bring clean, efficient electricity, create new jobs, and stimulate the economy.

The Chanler Group is actively engaged in the review and analysis of incentive-based renewable energy programs to determine potential benefits to our clients.  Global energy consumption continues to increase each year and, with this increase, the demand for safe, clean, and unlimited energy is on the rise.  The Federal and State governments promote this interest through a variety of financially-beneficial incentives.  Our understanding of these laws allows us to guide homeowners, businesses, and/or developers through the various ways to take advantage of these incentive-based benefits.  With the appreciation that renewable energy laws and regulations are constantly changing, The Chanler Group is committed to investing in its understanding and practice of this area of law.