US halfway to Biden offshore wind target with approval of 10th project

The Biden administration approved an offshore wind project off the coast of Maryland on Thursday, marking the 10th commercial-scale project and half of the capacity needed to achieve the president’s goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.

Zero projects were approved at the beginning of President Joe Biden’s term, according to administration officials. The latest project, Maryland’s offshore wind project, would generate over 2 gigawatts of renewable energy for the Delmarva Peninsula and power over 718,000 homes. The project, located off the coast of Sussex County, could support over 2,600 jobs annually over six years.

The milestone marks a halfway point in the Biden administration’s goal for offshore wind, underlining the stakes of the next election. If Vice President Kamala Harris wins, it is likely she will continue the work of her predecessor and pursue further offshore wind construction. However, a victory by former President Donald Trump could be a setback for the renewable energy source because he has pledged to scrap the projects “on day one” of his presidency and claimed the projects are lethal to whales.

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“Today’s approval of our nation’s 10th offshore wind project — a total game-change from the zero projects approved before President Biden and Vice President Harris took office — shows the tremendous progress we are making to harness this economic opportunity that both benefits American workers and the planet alike,” White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said. “From port infrastructure upgrades and new tax credits to speeding responsible and efficient permitting, we are using every tool available to continue turbocharging this industry and delivering a clean energy future for the nation.”

The U.S. wind project pipeline now exceeds 80 gigawatts, with the potential to power more than 26 million homes if fully developed, according to the White House.