The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has unveiled a proposed decision calling for the central procurement of up to 7600MW of offshore wind energy over the next decade.
The plan outlines three competitive solicitation rounds starting in 2027, aiming for the projects to be operational by 2037.
The American Clean Power Association has endorsed the decision, viewing it as a pivotal move towards developing an offshore wind industry on the US Pacific coast. “This proposed decision is a critical step towards creating a robust offshore wind industry that will promote California's clean energy, reliability, and economic development goals,” said Molly Croll, Pacific offshore wind director at the American Clean Power Association.
While the association had advocated for a 10GW procurement target, it expressed gratitude to the CPUC for acknowledging the significant benefits of offshore wind for the state. “Although we were advocating for a 10GW procurement need, we are grateful to the CPUC for recognizing the potential benefits of offshore wind to the state and the scale of procurement needed for supporting infrastructure at scale and for market transformation,” Croll added.
The CPUC's proposed decision is rooted in AB 1373, legislation authored by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, which authorized the central procurement of offshore wind and other diverse energy resources.
This proposal follows the approval of the California Energy Commission's AB 525 Strategic Plan and the California Independent System Operator's 2023-2024 Transmission Plan, which sanctioned new investments to integrate offshore wind into California's grid.
