California offshore leaseholders join forces

California’s offshore wind leaseholders have joined forces by establishing a group within the American Clean Power Association (ACP).

The California Council of Offshore Wind Leaseholders (CCOWL), a council within ACP-California (ACP-CA), is “dedicated to fostering the emerging California floating offshore wind market and advancing the state’s first projects”.

CCOWL’s members are Invenergy, RWE, Equinor, Golden State Wind and Vineyard Offshore and membership will be open to future leaseholders going forward.

“Offshore wind’s untapped potential on the West Coast could be the key to achieving California’s ambitious climate and reliability goals while supporting regional jobs and community opportunities,” said Molly Croll, Pacific Offshore Wind Director, American Clean Power Association.

She added: “We welcome the expertise and dedication of CCOWL members to strengthen our collective mission of meeting California’s emissions-free future.”

Martin Goff, Equinor Project Director for California, said: “We look forward to leveraging our expertise and operating experience with floating offshore wind and collaborating as an industry through this leaseholder group to develop this burgeoning new industry safely and efficiently along the West Coast.”

“Invenergy is excited to be one of the five foundational offshore wind leaseholders in California and looks forward to working with the fellow leaseholders and ACP to advance necessary policies to establish a durable floating offshore wind industry in the state, said Erin Lieberman, Executive Vice President, Environmental Compliance and Strategy, Invenergy.

She added: “The collaboration of this group will be instrumental to realising the benefits that floating offshore wind represents for all Californians.”

Rob Mastria, RWE Project Director for California, added: “California is well positioned to be a global leader on floating wind and leverage this new technology to meet its aggressive net-zero goals — but we need to come together as an industry through this newly created Council to educate the public and advocate for the compelling benefits of offshore wind for Californians.