Although the offshore wind industry in the United States is still in its infancy, the potential growth is significant. America’s first offshore wind farm became operational in 2016 off the coast of Rhode Island, and there are only seven wind turbines operating in U.S. waters today. As of 2021, there are nearly 20 active commercial leases for offshore wind development in the nation and $25 billion of annual economic output projected for the industry. As offshore wind continues to gain government and private support nationwide, the industry is set to take off within the next decade, fueling a new era of clean energy and economic revitalization.

Yes. Building America’s offshore wind project pipeline will bring enormous economic benefits to communities across America. Offshore wind will create a new American supply chain, tens of thousands of jobs, revitalize port communities, and stimulate investment into local economies across the country. Building an offshore wind farm requires 74 different occupations including electricians, welders, ironworkers, millwrights, carpenters, engineers, concrete finishers, scientists, and vessel operators, according to the New York-based Workforce Development Institute. Ongoing wind farm operations and maintenance will require a local workforce for the 20 to 30-year lifespan of a project and beyond.

Offshore wind energy is an clean, domestic energy source that harnesses the strong winds blowing over water. By capturing the power of offshore wind with wind turbines, this renewable energy resource provides an competitive alternative to long-distance transmission or development of electricity generation in land-constrained regions. For more information, please visit: American Clean Power (“ACP”), the leading national federation of renewable energy companies Business Network for Offshore Wind, a nonprofit, educational organization with a mission to develop the offshore wind renewable energy industry and its supply chain

As the wind blows, it flows over the three airfoil-shaped blades of wind turbines, causing the turbine blades to spin like a child’s pinwheel. The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator to produce electricity. The newest wind turbines include engineering and mechanical innovations to help maximize efficiency and safely increase the production of electricity. For more information, please visit: U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (“NREL”) U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, a nationally focused not-for-profit organization collaborating with industry on prioritized R&D activities.

Wind farms help make the air we breathe and water we drink cleaner and healthier. Increasing the use of wind energy reduces harmful pollution from traditional energy sources that contribute to climate change, asthma attacks, as well as heart and lung disease. Wind energy uses no fossil fuels and emits no pollution or waste. The only fuel is the wind. Numerous independent studies and government health agencies around the world have found no link between human health and wind turbine sound. Offshore wind farms will be miles away from homes and businesses.

No sound will be detectable on land from wind turbines operating five miles from shore.

Turbines will be greater than five miles offshore; at five miles, turbines would only appear to be a fraction of an inch above the horizon on a clear day. That’s smaller than a toothpick to the naked eye! Tourists often want to get a closer look at wind turbines, which for many are an icon of 21st century economic progress. America’s first offshore wind farm off Rhode Island has increased tourism.

No. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory analyzed more than 50,000 home sales near 67 wind facilities in 27 counties across nine U.S. states, yet was unable to uncover any impacts to nearby home property values.

Using more wind power benefits all species of birds by reducing greenhouse gas pollution contributing to climate change, which is the greatest threat to birds. According to the Audubon Society, more than half of all North American bird species are threatened by climate change. That’s why the Audubon Society strongly supports responsibly sited wind power. Linking wind farms disproportionately to bird deaths is largely based on misinformation. Wind farms cause fewer bird deaths than any other human activity reported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Various federal and state regulations, including the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, exist to hold any human activity – including wind farms – accountable for impacts that do happen. Even with its comparatively small impacts on wildlife, the wind industry is committed to research and mitigation efforts to further reduce those impacts.

There are no negative impacts on water quality. Our design features mitigate the ability of oil to leak into the surroundings and extensive monitoring will be in place in the unlikely event a leak occurs. Wind turbines are not like other electric generating equipment – they require very little oil. In fact, most recreational or commercial vessels transiting Lake Erie carry far more oil, not to mention fuel, than a wind turbine ever would. The Great Lakes face threats from existing uses such as nuclear and coal plants, shipping, gas and oil extraction, fishing vessels, and recreational boating.

Wind farms create benefits for the environment by creating energy with no pollution or waste, and by displacing dirtier sources of energy. No form of energy generation has zero environmental impact, but studies have shown wind energy’s environmental footprint to be among the lowest across all energy sources. Wind farms emit no air or water pollution, require no mining or drilling for fuel, use no water in the generation of electricity, don’t burn fossil fuels, and create no hazardous or radioactive waste requiring permanent storage or remediation. For more information, please visit: The American Wind and Wildlife Institute, which conducts and supports scientific research to better understand wind energy’s risks to wildlife and develop solutions to avoid, minimize, and offset those impacts.

Yes. Building America’s offshore wind project pipeline will bring enormous economic benefits to communities across America. Offshore wind will create a new American supply chain, tens of thousands of jobs, revitalize port communities, and stimulate investment into local economies across the country. Building an offshore wind farm requires 74 different occupations including electricians, welders, ironworkers, millwrights, carpenters, engineers, concrete finishers, scientists, and vessel operators, according to the New York-based Workforce Development Institute. Ongoing wind farm operations and maintenance will require a local workforce for the 20 to 30-year lifespan of a project and beyond.

At Diamond Offshore Wind, we are committed to working with local technical training institutions and economic development organizations to ensure the community’s workforce is ready to lead on offshore wind.

The extensive permitting process assesses a number of potential wildlife, habitat, and environmental impacts with the oversight from multiple government agencies to ensure that projects will not be built if there are risks that cannot be mitigated.

Yes. Offshore wind is now competitive with new coal, nuclear, and rooftop solar panels. Costs are down one-third since 2016 when the first U.S. offshore wind farm came online. Costs will continue to fall as the U.S. supply chain grows.

Yes. The federal government does not anticipate imposing any restrictions on fishing among or around the wind turbines. There would be no navigational exclusion zone. The fishing community and offshore wind can thrive together. Recreational fishermen report America’s first offshore wind farm near Rhode Island has become a hot spot for cod, fluke and sea bass thanks to the artificial reef effect of turbine foundations.

Yes. The public review process is thorough, rigorous, and designed to encourage meaningful community input and engagement throughout our wind energy projects.