Gov. Kate Brown, R-Ore., announced the formation of the WindFloat Pacific Offshore Wind Advisory Committee to identify smart solutions for Oregon's economy through its emerging offshore wind energy industry.
The state, of course, is no stranger to offshore wind. Oregon-based Principle Power was a recipient of a $46.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to demonstrate the potential of offshore wind energy resources. Principle Power has identified the waters 18 miles off of the coast of Coos Bay as its preferred demonstration site, and Oregon must take action to secure this investment.
‘This advisory committee will work to identify viable pathways to procure the WindFloat Project in Oregon, ensuring that Oregonians benefit from this opportunity to boost our state's economy, increase local jobs, and responsibly preserve existing jobs, all while expanding access to renewable energy,’ Brown says.
The governor's office says the WindFloat Pacific Project could potentially inject millions of dollars in the local economy and create hundreds of new jobs during the pilot project development phase. As the industry grows, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that there could be 8,000 MW of offshore wind deployed off of the West Coast, supporting the equivalent of 25,000 full-time jobs.
