Federal funds advance offshore wind project in Northern California

This week the US Department of Transportation awarded a $426 million grant to the Humboldt Bay Harbor District to build a new marine terminal, which will be used to assemble and deploy the massive turbines needed for future offshore wind projects. Local harbor officials hope to open the new facility in 2029.

The federal grant puts California in a better position to meet its goal of generating 100% clean energy by 2045. The state intends to harness enough energy from offshore wind turbines to power 25 million households annually in that time frame. Humboldt County has some of the strongest, most consistent offshore winds in the United States, and the turbines constructed at this port terminal will help harness these winds 20 miles out at sea.

“The Biden administration’s generous grant will help California leverage the abundant wind resources off Humboldt County’s coasts,” said Steven King, clean energy advocate with Environment California. “Offshore wind power is absolutely essential for California to reach its goal of generating 100% of its energy from clean sources, not to mention purifying our air and averting the worst impacts of the climate crisis. This funding represents a significant down payment in the infrastructure required to go big on offshore wind.”

Dan Jacobson joins Port of Humboldt commissioners and labor leaders in DCPhoto by Dan Jacobson | TPIN

Last year, Environment California’s Dan Jacobson joined Port of Humboldt commissioners, labor leaders and offshore wind advocates in Washington, D.C. to help secure this crucial federal funding. 

This award of nearly half a billion dollars comes after a strong year for offshore wind legislation in 2023, where Governor Newsom signed bills to create a strategy for port infrastructure upgrades and to secure a strong market for offshore wind projects through central procurement of offshore wind energy. This new infusion of funding helps California, a national leader in clean energy projects, double down on its commitment to 100% clean energy and set an example for other states to follow.