Offshore staff
PORTLAND, Oregon — Deep Blue Pacific Wind, a joint venture (JV) created to bring the benefits of floating offshore wind to Oregon, has nominated three areas off the southern Oregon coast to build the Pacific Northwest’s first floating offshore wind project, according to the JV's June 28 news release.
Deep Blue Pacific Wind, a JV between TotalEnergies and Simply Blue Group, submitted a nomination in response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) official Call for Information and Nominations to assess commercial interest in and obtain public input on potential wind energy leasing in federal waters off the coast of Oregon.
The U.S. Department of Interior has identified approximately 1,800 sq miles off Oregon’s southern coast near Coos and Curry Counties, which present the greatest potential for floating offshore wind due to strong wind speeds and accessibility. Deep Blue Pacific Wind has nominated three smaller sections within those two areas, roughly 135 sq miles each.
Floating offshore wind is a critical piece of the federal government’s goal of reaching 30 GW of power from offshore wind by 2030. The technology offers new opportunities and advantages such as:
- Access to deeper water farther from the coast, where winds are stronger and more consistent, creating more energy;
- Less disruption to local ecosystems and other marine industries; and
- Rapidly falling costs.
“The Pacific Northwest has some of the highest potential for floating offshore wind,” said Lauren Spence, vice president of Deep Blue Pacific Wind.
Deep Blue is also working with similar stakeholders as plans for floating offshore wind move forward.
“The clock is ticking here in Oregon to develop scalable solutions to reach our state’s net zero goal,” said Deep Blue Pacific Wind’s President Kevin Banister. “Floating offshore wind is our largest, untapped renewable resource, and we are ready and able to change that.”
07.05.2022
