Golden State Wind is a floating offshore wind project in the early stages of development, located in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area off California’s central coast.

When fully developed, the Project is expected to generate up to 2 gigawatts (GW) of clean offshore wind energy, which is enough to power about 900,000 homes.

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Golden State Wind will help California meet its 100% clean electricity by 2045 goal and will bring the US closer to meeting its target of deploying 15 GW of floating offshore wind generation by 2035.

Several offshore wind developers want to build the state’s first farms off the coast here, projects that are needed for California — and the White House — to reach decarbonization goals.

But this summer, the administration is also likely to designate the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary in coastal waters that surround Morro Bay — a plan that the offshore wind industry says blocks their access to the grid.

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This picturesque bay located four hours south of San Francisco is at the center of an election year conflict for the Biden administration that could threaten its offshore wind ambitions on the West Coast.

Several offshore wind developers want to build the state’s first farms off the coast here, projects that are needed for California — and the White House — to reach decarbonization goals.

But this summer, the administration is also likely to designate the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary in coastal waters that surround Morro Bay — a plan that the offshore wind industry says blocks their access to the grid.

Equinor, Golden State Wind and Invenergy California Offshore — companies with offshore wind farms planned off the bay — hope to carve out guaranteed paths for their power lines to reach shore, when the NOAA finalizes the sanctuary in coming months. Proponents of the sanctuary, meanwhile, don’t want to reduce its size and are pushing for a requirement that wind developers seek permits for power lines through protected waters.

Offshore wind or tribal rights? Biden’s California dilemma. – E&E News by POLITICO (eenews.net)

Around 100 people took the streets of Morro Bay marching from the Veteran’s Memorial Building to the South T-Pier and along the Embarcadero with signs saying they don’t want wind farms along the Central Coast. Two boats also took part in the action along the water next to the South T-Pier as people cheered on.

People around SLO County protest against proposed offshore wind project (ksby.com)