California state regulators have approved nearly $43 million in grants to support the development of floating offshore wind infrastructure across five state ports, as part of the state’s broader clean energy transition strategy.
The Port of Long Beach received the largest portion, with $20 million allocated for planning and engineering work related to “Pier Wind,” the port’s proposed offshore wind terminal. According to the port, the funding will help assess key design and construction aspects needed to support wind turbine assembly and deployment.
“The Pier Wind project has the potential to support the state’s clean energy goals while strengthening our role in the renewable energy supply chain,” a port spokesperson said.
The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District was awarded $18.75 million to advance its proposed heavy lift terminal, which is designed to accommodate the specialized needs of floating offshore wind technology.
Port San Luis Harbor received $3 million to conduct feasibility studies to determine its suitability as a future operations and maintenance base for offshore wind activities.
The ports of Oakland and Richmond each secured $750,000 to carry out initial studies related to offshore wind readiness.
California has set a target of 25 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity by 2045. In 2023, the California Energy Commission adopted a strategic plan under Assembly Bill 525, outlining a roadmap for developing 7 to 10 GW of offshore wind by 2045, with interim targets beginning in 2030.
The newly approved grants are part of the state’s effort to develop the infrastructure needed to support large-scale deployment of floating offshore wind farms off California’s coast.
