Offshore wind is quickly becoming a national industry in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is advancing Wind Energy Areas in every major U.S. body of water – the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the Gulf of Mexico. Broader market policy alignment between state and federal governments on offshore wind is driving the creation of a national offshore wind supply chain.

Suppliers for offshore wind projects are now located in more than 30 states. These range from Washington State-based companies working on Vineyard Wind (a Massachusetts project), to Texas-based manufacturing of the first U.S.-made offshore wind substation, which will be a part of the South Fork Wind project, planned for installation 35 miles east of Montauk, New York. Nexans has expanded its South Carolina cable manufacturing facility to produce high-voltage subsea cables.

Ports in the Northeast are now breaking ground on facilities that, within the next few years, will be routinely handling offshore wind turbine components destined for installation in U.S. waters. There are also multiple vessels being constructed in Gulf of Mexico states, with steel supplied by companies located in Alabama, West Virginia, and other states. More details and information is available in the full report.

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Oceantic Network’s Advancing Policy Measures to Drive Domestic Supply Chain report analyzes current policies and barriers to developing the offshore wind industry and details federal and state policies needed to further the industry and supply chain in the U.S. In response to state and federal goals for offshore wind energy and rising global demand, the report outlines why the U.S. must develop a coordinated action plan that pairs enhancing market visibility through the permitting process with a national industrialization strategy that targets financial support for manufacturing, transmission, and port upgrades to accelerate supply chain development.

The report was produced for the Labor Energy Partnership (LEP) Offshore Wind Workforce. The LEP, a collaboration between the AFL-CIO and Energy Future Initiative, published the Network’s report alongside three additional reports that explore opportunities for building a domestic offshore wind supply chain.

Download the Policy Measures Needed to Advance the U.S. Offshore Wind Supply Chain Report

The Demand for a Domestic Offshore Wind Energy Supply Chain report provides a high-level assessment of the demand for deployment, workforce, ports, vessels, and components required to reach the U.S.’s national offshore wind target of 30 GW of offshore wind power by 2030. The report, a collaboration between the Oceantic Network, the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy, DNV, the Maryland Energy Administration, and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, analyzes all aspects of the offshore wind industry and capacities needed to meet current state and federal targets. It also provides insight on how to tackle the current challenges, including port infrastructure, installation vessel shortages, and manufacturing capabilities. This is the first of two reports as part of the partnership under the 30 GW by 2030: Supply Chain Roadmap for Offshore Wind U.S. grant.

Download the The Demand for a Domestic Offshore Wind Energy Supply Chain