Offshore wind development offers an answer to California’s reliability problem, and could greatly help the state reach its net-zero goals, according to a new report.
The University of Southern California’s Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy report, California’s Offshore Wind Electricity Opportunity, states that offshore wind could provide $1 billion in resource cost savings, improved reliability of services and more stand capacity factors, and thousands of new jobs.
An estimated 20 GW of viable offshore wind capacity exists in California, the report says, with the potential to provide 25% of the state’s future electricity needs and reduce the need for backup gas generation.
