Deep Blue Pacific Wind seeks to develop Pacific Northwest’s first floating offshore wind project off Southern Oregon coast
PORTLAND, Oregon, June 28, 2022 — Deep Blue Pacific Wind, a joint venture created to bring the benefits of floating offshore wind to Oregon, has nominated three areas off the Southern Oregon coast to build the Pacific Northwest’s first floating offshore wind project. Deep Blue Pacific Wind’s nomination was submitted in response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) official Call for Information and Nominations to assess commercial interest in and obtain public input on potential wind energy leasing in federal waters off the coast of Oregon.
Deep Blue Pacific Wind is a joint venture between TotalEnergies, a global multi-energy company, and Simply Blue Group, a pioneer in floating offshore wind technologies. The joint venture is led by Oregonians with decades of experience creating renewable energy policy and projects. With the expertise and proven global track record of its parent companies, Deep Blue Pacific Wind aspires to create clean, affordable energy that will help Oregon achieve its goal of net zero emissions by 2040.
“The next great frontier of renewable energy is floating offshore wind and with some of the best resources available, Oregon has the potential to be a global leader,” said Oregon renewable industry veteran and Deep Blue Pacific Wind’s President Kevin Banister. “Floating offshore wind can power millions of homes and create thousands of jobs while maintaining the integrity of Oregon’s marine industries and coastal communities.”
The U.S. Department of Interior has identified approximately 1,800 square miles off Oregon’s southern coast near Coos and Curry Counties, which present the greatest potential for floating offshore wind due to strong wind speeds and accessibility. Deep Blue Pacific Wind has nominated three smaller sections within those two areas, roughly 135 square miles each.
“Oregon is known for taking bold steps to protect our public lands and waters,” said Deep Blue Pacific Wind’s Director of Government and External Affairs Peter Cogswell, who has spent decades working with state agencies, tribes, and utilities on energy issues in Oregon. “We believe floating offshore wind is good for Oregon’s future and can bring permanent jobs and new industries to towns along the coast and beyond.”
Floating offshore wind is a critical piece of the federal government’s goal of reaching 30 gigawatts of power from offshore wind by 2030. The technology offers new opportunities and advantages such as:
● Access to deeper water further from the coast, where winds are stronger and more consistent, creating more energy.
● Less disruption to local ecosystems and other marine industries.
● Rapidly falling costs.
“The Pacific Northwest has some of the highest potential for floating offshore wind,” said Lauren Spence, Vice President of Deep Blue Pacific Wind. “We look forward to continuing to work with local stakeholders and BOEM in this promising market.”
“The clock is ticking here in Oregon to develop scalable solutions to reach our state’s net zero goal,” said Banister. “Floating offshore wind is our largest, untapped renewable resource and we are ready and able to change that.”
As part of its years-long process, BOEM continues to collect input from state and local governments, tribes and commercial and recreational fishing industries and fund environmental and technical studies to collect information on marine wildlife. Deep Blue is also working with similar stakeholders as plans for floating offshore wind move forward.
For more visit https://www.deepbluepacificwind.com/
