The plan outlines immediate actions necessary to connect the first generation of Atlantic offshore wind projects with grids, and longer-term efforts to support needed transmission over the next several decades.

‘The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to using all the tools in the toolbox to advance offshore wind as a critical renewable energy source to transition the nation to a clean energy future,’ says US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. ‘The efforts announced will boost our nation’s ability to deploy wind energy in an equitable way to lower energy costs, create good-paying jobs, and achieve President Biden’s goal of a 100% clean electric grid by 2035.

US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, adds: ‘President Biden has set an ambitious goal of achieving 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030 – and I am more confident than ever that we will meet it. Together with industry, labour and other partners from coast to coast, we are building an entirely new industry to bolster our supply chains and strengthen our offshore wind development.’

Since President Biden took office, companies have announced 19 offshore wind projects as well as investments of nearly $3.5bn across 12 manufacturing facilities and 13 ports to strengthen the US offshore wind supply chain.

So far, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved four commercial-scale, offshore wind energy projects and is on track to complete reviews of at least 16 offshore wind project plans by 2025, representing more than 27 GW of clean energy, the DOE says.

The US government hopes the latest plan will help unlock a pathway to 110 GW or more of offshore wind by 2050.