Land-based wind turbines have become a common sight in parts of Southern California, but offshore wind farms are rarer and bring a unique set of questions. Conversations about offshore wind in California have been taking place for several years, and on July 1, Congressmember Salud Carbajal secured offshore wind energy development off the coast of Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County as part of the 2021 National Defenses Authorization Act (NDAA).
The idea is still in its early stages. In the past, the U.S. Navy had reservations about offshore projects that would interfere with military activity. According to local media reports, Carbajal has been working monthly with the U.S. Navy, the California Energy Commission chair, and Assistant Secretary of Defense Robert McMahon to identify potential locations for offshore wind. In early 2020, the Navy had lowered its objections to floating turbines near Morro Bay.
On the West Coast, wind farms have to contend with the Pacific Ocean’s steep drop-off in depth, which is why the Morro Bay turbines would be engineered to float. While wind farms on land tend to affect local wildlife, especially birds, not enough research has been conducted about offshore wind to determine whether marine birds and other sea life would be affected by the Morro Bay project. The California Energy Commission’s website states that all offshore wind farms in California will be at least three miles away from the shore.