The US state of Oregon has unveiled a draft offshore wind roadmap outlining four potential futures off its deepwater west coast, from zero turbines to 3 GW of floating wind, with public input open until April 3.
Gestating since June 2024, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) plan avoids outright endorsement, instead outlining “conditions, processes, and standards” to protect coastal communities, tribes, fisheries, and ecosystems while nodding to clean energy goals.
Scenarios span large-scale builds (1-3GW), pilot projects, supply chain cash without local arrays, or total opt-out. Even the no-build path requires regional grid studies to ensure resilience.
“Through all of that conversation, what we learned is that there’s not a clear and simple path to offshore wind right now,” said roadmap lead Jeff Burright.
The pivot followed coastal pushback after the US authorities nixed a Southern Oregon lease amid developer pullouts and President Trump’s anti-wind executive order.
Tiered policies build incrementally – update the Territorial Sea Plan, codify community benefit deals, and establish federal checkpoints for course corrections. Visual horizon blight from distant floaters draws scrutiny compared with legacy wave tech.
Economic play targets California similarities, such as ports, components, and R&D, without hosting projects. Burright eyes summer delivery to lawmakers post-Roundtable review.
