US West Coast ports gear up for floating wind

Excitement is mounting over the potential for offshore floating wind in deep waters off the US west coast, but there is a lack of supporting landside infrastructure.

A new report from Intelatus Global Partners, an energy consultancy, shows there are still no purpose-built port facilities to support floating wind farm development in California, a hot spot. A number of potential sites have been identified and the capital investment required is likely to be in the billions of dollars.

The report comes shortly after the announcement of the West Coast’s first-ever wind lease sale. The floating wind sector is seen as a key component in support of California’s goal of transitioning to 90% clean energy by 2035.

Intelatus consultants identify six port functions required for efficient floating offshore wind development. They include a base for geotechnical surveys; Construction facilities for substructures, an integration quay where turbines can be connected to substructures; Wet storage for floating turbines prior to on-site installation; an anchor cable base; and an operation and maintenance facility.

The consultants cite the example of the Port of Long Beach, whose Executive Director Mario Cordero outlined the potential of the floating offshore wind sector in his recent State of the Port speech.

The west coast port has not yet been identified as a marshalling port for a specific project. But the conceptual framework for its “Pier Wind” facility, which focuses on designing a deployment and integration facility for floating wind turbines and part of the port’s Zero Emissions Energy Resilient Operations Program (ZEERO), is scheduled to be finalized in April.

The report also details potential developments at other West Coast locations, including the Port of San Francisco, Humboldt Bay, Port Hueneme, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Coos Bay.

Source: News Network