The United States will build seven large wind farms
Eva Deschamps / October 14, 2021
The U.S. government unveiled plans Wednesday to build up to seven large wind farms off the nation's coast as part of its plan to provide wind power to more than 10 million homes by 2030.
As part of President Joe Biden's climate ambitions, the $12 billion initiative aims to produce 30 gigawatts of wind power by 2030.
The U.S. government is laying out an ambitious roadmap to advance projects to combat climate change, create good-paying jobs and accelerate the nation's transition to a cleaner energy future, said Deb Haaland, secretary of the Interior.
According to the White House, the project will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 78 million tons while creating tens of thousands of jobs.
Up to seven new leases will be offered for sale by 2025 in the Gulf of Maine, the Mid-Atlantic Coast, the Gulf of Mexico and off the coasts of New York, the Carolinas, California and Oregon, Haaland said.
Only one offshore wind farm is currently operational in the United States: the Block Island Wind Farm, completed in late 2016 off the state of Rhode Island, capable of producing 30 megawatts.
The current administration's support for wind power contrasts with the policy pursued by former President Donald Trump, who repeatedly ridiculed this renewable energy source during his tenure, claiming it was expensive and inefficient.