Wind Energy – USA
California Governor Gavin Newsom has set a goal of 20 GW of offshore wind power by 2045.
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced details of the proposed auction and lease terms for offshore wind development at the Morro Bay Wind Power Area and Humboldt Wind Power Area, located offshore central and northern California, respectively, in May.
Its Office of Ocean Energy Management is currently inviting potential bids for five lease areas at these locations, with the combined potential to generate 4.5 GW.
In a letter to the president of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), Newsom also called on the state to ensure that the 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan provides a path to achieve both the 2030 climate goal and the state carbon neutrality no later than 2045.
The letter, sent Friday, requested that the final plan incorporate new efforts to promote offshore wind power, clean fuels, climate-friendly homes, carbon removal and address methane leaks.
Newsom said he wants California to move faster to meet its climate goals, setting ambitious new goals for renewable energy, clean buildings, carbon removal and clean fuels in the transportation sector.
Last month, Newsom signed a state budget that will make it easier to bring clean energy projects online by speeding up the environmental review process for new clean energy projects.
Newsom said: “California communities experience the devastating impacts of climate change every day. We need to step up our efforts to significantly reduce harmful carbon pollution. The state’s draft carbon neutrality roadmap isn’t going far enough or going fast enough. That’s why I’m pushing state agencies to take more aggressive action, from offshore wind power to climate-friendly housing, and to make sure we never build another fossil fuel power plant in California again.”
