More than a decade ago, we started as a group of Maryland businesses with a shared vision to break into the emerging offshore wind energy industry, creating jobs and economic opportunity throughout the state. We knew this would require building a domestic supply chain, strengthening cooperation and partnerships across geographies, and improving education and workforce training. What began as a small organization with a focus on building connections among businesses, developers, and policymakers in Maryland, has become the world’s largest educational nonprofit organization dedicated to offshore wind and marine renewable energy development. For the last decade, we have grown and adapted alongside the industry, remaining true to our mission to connect technology providers with a local supply chain, unlocking new opportunities and fostering collaboration to benefit the global market.
From launching the International Partnering Forum (IPF) Energy at Sea Conference—the premier marine renewable energy conference in the Americas—to creating critical industry products like the Supply Chain Connect registry, OSW Market Dashboard, and IACET-accredited Foundation 2 Blade trainings, Oceantic Network remains committed to meeting the dynamic needs of a fast-evolving ocean economy. View a timeline of the many accomplishments Oceantic Network and the industry have achieved together below:
Evolution of the American Offshore Wind Industry
Since Oceantic Network’s founding in 2013, we have worked to take offshore wind energy from a nascent power source in the U.S. to a major driver of economic activity and utility-scale renewable energy. This surge has occurred thanks to progress in four key areas:
- From Demonstration to Commercialization: The number of offshore wind projects in the U.S. has skyrocketed since America’s first pilot offshore wind farm––Block Island Wind Farm––came online in 2016. Today, output stands at 42 megawatts (MW), powered by the nation’s first commercial project, South Fork Wind. Other projects, Vineyard Wind, Revolution Wind, Sunrise Wind, Empire Wind 1 and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind-Commercial are under simultaneous construction and will bring nearly six gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power to the grid by 2026. A visible pipeline of projects capable of delivering 10 GW has also formed.
- $25 Billion in New Industry Investments: Strong state demand and tax incentives have helped generate more than $25 billion in new U.S. offshore wind investments since 2014. These investments are already creating thousands of well-paying jobs rebuilding U.S. ports, constructing new ships, and laying the groundwork to revitalize American steel manufacturing across local communities.
- Policy Alignment: States continue to drive the market forward with a combined demand for 77.4 GW (77,400 MW). These efforts are accelerating market advancement and sparking supply chain development.
- Innovation and Cutting-Edge Technology: The offshore wind industry is a hotbed for marine energy innovation and technology. This drive for improvement will ultimately lower costs, support businesses, help achieve decarbonization goals, and create new market opportunities for the United States to leapfrog to a global leadership position. Record investments in technologies that harness ocean energy for alternative uses, including wave and tidal energy, green hydrogen production and carbon sequestration, and other new innovations will be born that leverage our country’s powerful offshore energy sector. Recent actions aimed at accelerating the development of floating turbine technology could give the U.S. market an important opportunity to become a major global player.
A Next-Gen Ocean Economy
As the offshore wind industry moves from demonstration to commercialization, delivering reliable and affordable power to American homes and businesses, we see even more opportunity on the horizon with the development of other marine renewables. Technologies, innovations, and breakthroughs await, and we will continue to be there to help the industry thrive.
Oceantic Network and Offshore Wind: A Co-evolving History
For over a decade, the U.S. offshore wind industry and Oceantic Network have grown together. The strides made by Oceantic Network reflect the growing and changing nature of offshore wind and the vast opportunities that lie within our oceans. View highlights of key Oceantic and industry milestones below.
2013
- Oceantic Network is founded as the Business Network for Maryland Offshore Wind in July
- Maryland passes offshore wind bill
- Federal government holds first offshore wind lease auction
2014
- First International Partnering Forum (IPF) takes place in Baltimore
- Oceantic hosts first offshore wind tour to Europe
- Federal government holds offshore wind lease auction near Maryland
2015
- Oceantic expands outside of Maryland
- White House holds Offshore Wind Summit
2016
- First IPF outside of Maryland takes place in Newport, Rhode Island
- Oceantic publishes first annual U.S. Offshore Wind Market Report
- Block Island, the first U.S. offshore wind farm, becomes operational
- Massachusetts passes 1.6 GW offshore wind bill
2017
- Oceantic co-hosts California Offshore Wind Symposium
- South Fork Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is signed
- Maryland awards ORECs to Skipjack and Marwin
- New York sets its first offshore wind goal
2018
- Oceantic hosts Floating Frontiers in Texas and California
- Launches Supply Chain Connect and Offshore Wind Insider podcast
- Oceantic holds first Finance Forum and Virginia Offshore Wind Executive Summit
- New Jersey sets 3.5 GW offshore wind goal
- First component facility announced in South Carolina
2019
- Oceantic’s L100 Summit calls for planned transmission and supply chain roadmap
- Hosts Big Data, AI & Blockchain in Massachusetts
- Virginia announces largest U.S. offshore wind project
2020
- Oceantic launches the Offshore Wind Job Fair
- Oceantic hosts Virtual IPF in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind-Pilot (CVOW-P) project is completed
- The first U.S.-built wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), the Charybdis, is ordered
2021
- Oceantic launches OSW Market Dashboard, Foundation 2 Blade training, and Ventus Awards
- Federal government announces 30 GW by 2030 offshore wind goal
- The first commercial-scale project, Vineyard Wind, receives permitting
2022
- Oceantic passes 500-member mark
- Launches Global Gateway and Pathways program
- Inflation Reduction Act passes
- Federal government announces 15 GW by 2035 floating offshore wind goal
2023
- Organization rebrands to Oceantic Network, celebrates 10 Years
- The first (Vineyard Wind) and second (South Fork Wind) commercial-scale projects projected to begin operations
2024
- $25 billion in private investments drive industry growth and project development
- The domestic supply chain grows to encompass 40 states and thousands of U.S. businesses
2025
- Five commercial-scale projects (~6 GW) under simultaneous construction
- LS Cables breaks ground at subsea cable facility in Virginia
- Four major offshore wind vessels––totaling $1 billion in investment––launched to support offshore wind construction and operation
