As the current pipeline of offshore wind projects moves forward, the United States will need a more developed steel supply chain ready to deliver 22 million tons of steel. That’s the equivalent to building 239 Golden Gate bridges or 266 Empire State Buildings.
The central message from a 2026 IPF panel, “Steel, Scale, and Strategy: Shaping the U.S. Energy Supply Chain of the Future,” is that, in many ways, this is a plate story. Ultra-thick, specialized steel forms the backbone of every offshore wind farm — from foundations to transition pieces to towers and secondary structures. And according to panelists, American steel mills are not standing idle. They have invested, modernized, and expanded to prepare for this market opportunity, which is exceptionally attractive due to the long-term volume and multi-decade commercial demand. The U.S. mill sector could supply more than three-quarters of the steel required for major componentfabrication today. Ergo, what the nation lacks is not plate steel but fabrication capacity.
Maf Smith, Founding Director at Lumen Energy & Environment, whose new study with Oceantic Network inspired the discussion, argues that offshore wind presents more than an energy opportunity. It is an industrial one. The numbers, he suggests, point toward a broader reindustrialization — if the country chooses to act. Peter Lion, Senior Advisor at NYSERDA, brought a unique state’s perspective when he described those plate mills as critical infrastructure. Their availability, he noted, can serve as the catalyst for larger fabrication investments. And he emphasized another strategic asset: time. The present moment allows for qualification, planning, and deliberate buildout before the next wave begins construction.
Timothy Mack, Vice President of U.S. Content at US Wind, called for a fundamental domestic program. The first phase of American offshore wind projects was closely tied to parallel supply chain development. By taking early and integral steps now, future manufacturing investments may be unshackled from the risks of single anchor projects.
In short, the steel is here. The mills are running. The question is whether fabrication will follow. And the key is striking while the iron is hot — which requires steady and predictable permitting pathway that will enable this American-made buildout.
