Please join the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center virtually on Tuesday, February 15, from 10:00 am – 11:00 am ET for a discussion on the role of offshore wind in California’s clean energy goals.

Offshore wind is booming. In the wake of President Biden’s decision to allow offshore wind development in the Pacific Ocean, California has emerged as a key player in advancing domestic clean energy goals. Building on the administration’s efforts to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030, California recently enacted Assembly Bill 525, which aims to construct up to 4.6 GW of offshore power in the state’s waters by the end of the decade. Beyond mandating the creation of a strategic development plan by June 2023, the law also includes far-ranging provisions to expand transmission lines, protect biodiversity, and upgrade port infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is slated to announce the first offshore lease sales in California waters this spring. These developments represent a major evolution in US offshore wind policy and entail significant growth for the industry.

In light of these recent changes, this discussion will explore the opportunities and challenges associated with California’s offshore wind plans as well as the implications of California’s decisions on future US offshore wind development. The panel will clarify the role of the federal government in California’s development process and analyze how California’s legislation may serve as a model for other states seeking to develop their offshore capacity. Furthermore, the panel will reflect on President Biden’s offshore wind plans and contextualize California’s progress within broader domestic clean energy goals.

Please join this conversation via the web application Zoom, which is accessible through your web browser, the Zoom desktop or mobile app, and by phone. If you wish to join the question and answer period, you must join by app or web.

Agenda

Opening remarks by

Douglas Boren
Pacific Regional Director
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, United States Department of the Interior

A conversation with

Karen Douglas
Commissioner
California Energy Commission

Neil Millar
Vice President of Infrastructure and Operations Planning
California Independent System Operator

Clifford Rechtschaffen
Commissioner
California Public Utilities Commission

Varner Seaman
California Offshore Wind Program Director
American Clean Power Association

Moderated by

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