SACRAMENTO – California took a historic step today toward achieving its goal of 90% clean energy by 2035 and moving the state away from fossil fuels. The Biden-Harris Administration announced the first-ever offshore wind lease sale for America’s West Coast, paving the way for offshore wind that could power millions of California homes.
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold its offshore wind energy lease sale for areas on the Outer Continental Shelf off the central and northern coasts of California on Dec. 6, 2022. The lease sale is also the first-ever U.S. sale that could support commercial-scale floating offshore wind development.
“California could not have better partners in our march toward a clean energy future than the Biden-Harris Administration. Together, we’re fighting for energy independence and a future free of fossil fuels and full of clean energy sources like offshore wind,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
The five California lease areas offered by BOEM have the potential to produce over 4.5 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy, powering more than 1.5 million homes and creating thousands of new jobs. The lease sale announcement follows California’s agreement with the federal government in May 2021 that opened up the West Coast for offshore wind development for the first time in history.
California has set ambitious planning goals for California offshore wind development of 2-5 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045. Last month, Governor Newsom signed the California Climate Commitment, a record $54 billion investment in climate action, including establishing a state goal of 90% clean electricity by 2035.