Introduction to Offshore Wind in California’s North Coast
by Ysabelle Yrad
California may host the first U.S. Pacific floating offshore wind farms, offering reliable power and reducing fossil fuel dependence. However, community-focused planning is crucial for sustainable development along the redwood coast.
I’m Ysabelle, a West Coast Ocean Alliance (WCOA) Fellow hosted at Blue Lake Rancheria. I recently graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability, where I worked on coalition building within the United Nations Obtawaing Biosphere Region of Northern Michigan.
I’ve been working hybrid at Blue Lake Rancheria (BLR), a federally recognized Tribe within the aboriginal territory of the Wiyot people, near the cities of Arcata and Eureka in Humboldt County, CA. Founded in 1908 as a ‘refuge for homeless Indians’, BLR was terminated in 1958 pursuant to the Rancheria Act, and then reinstated to federal recognition status in 1983 as a result of the Tillie Hardwick v. U.S. decision. Since then, BLR has made strong efforts to exercise its rights as a sovereign nation, build economic enterprises, and has 100 acres of Tribal land in trust, including land spanning the Baduwa’t (Mad River). BLR has a goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. Visit BLR’s website and facebook page to learn more.
As a WCOA fellow, I have been engaged in offshore wind (OSW) related topics. In nearby Humboldt Bay (Wigi in the Wiyot language), a potential offshore wind heavy lift marine terminal project is proposed, and just 20 miles from the coast is one of the first ocean areas to be leased to OSW developers in California.
Blue Lake Rancheria Tribal Government Office (Top) and Garden in autumn with Blue Lake Casino Hotel in background (Bottom).
Humboldt and Morro Bay Offshore Wind Lease Areas. Source: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 2022.
What is the offshore wind terminal? For Humboldt Bay, redeveloping the port for assembling wind turbine components before ocean deployment (called a staging & integration, or S&I site). Humboldt, Los Angeles, and Long Beach are good candidates for S&I due to space, navigation channels, and no air-draft restrictions. In January 2024, the Humboldt Bay Harbor District was awarded $426 million (the largest investment yet) to finalize the wind terminal design & construction, including funds for environmental restoration and community benefits, marking an important milestone for the OSW industry in California.
Why floating offshore wind? The federal government aims to deploy 30GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and 110GW by 2050 nationwide. California has a goal to reach 5GW of OSW energy by 2030, and 25 GW by 2045 (powering 25 million homes), aligning with Assembly Bill 525, a strategic plan for offshore wind permitting. Additionally, Senate Bill 100 aims for 100% clean energy by 2045. Northern California's high wind speeds make it ideal for offshore wind, with the Humboldt wind energy area featuring deep ocean depths (1,600 - 3,600 ft) unsuitable for fixed turbines. Instead, floating turbines anchored by mooring lines are proposed, a technology yet to be deployed in the U.S.
Diagram of floating offshore wind turbines, anchored by mooring lines and connected by floating and terrestrial substations. Source: U.S. Department of Energy.
If offshore wind deployment is a goal at the federal and state level, what are the goals of the community? Humboldt Bay is incredibly unique; here are just a few takeaways from my engagement as a WCOA fellow so far:
A start for a “Green Terminal” for OSW - In early 2024, the Humboldt Bay Harbor District, supported by the community, passed a resolution to develop a Green Port Strategy and Roadmap. This collaborative effort aims to establish a net-zero emissions terminal, incorporating strategies such as electrified port equipment and on-site power generation. To learn more, listen to me on EcoNews Report, or read Green Ports: Possibilities on the North Coast.
Tribes are engaging in OSW and Exert Sovereignty - I participated in the Floating Wind USA, Tribal OSW Summit hosted by the Yurok Tribe, and the U.S. Department of Energy Tribal Clean Energy Summit. As sovereign nations, government-to-government consultation with state/federal agencies are exerted by California Native American Tribes for OSW development, and each Tribe has different consultation policies based on their perspectives and interpretations. Tribal Nations are also staying informally engaged in the capacity or interest each is able to, but limited resources and historical industrialization/resource extraction are significant factors to all Tribal engagement. Read more from another student's perspective on offshore wind and Tribes in the Pacific NW, Fair Winds and Following Seas: Is Equity in the Breeze?
Science regarding potential impacts of OSW must include input from Tribes - Baseline data and research are crucial for understanding unique circumstances of OSW in the region, and California's Assembly Bill 80 aims to establish an OSW science convening for the West Coast. Research topics can include transmission and energy distribution, viewsheds, entanglement, bird/bat activities, fisheries, endangered and threatened species, Tribal cultural resources impacts, including an alarming rate of missing and murdered indigenous peoples in Northern CA, and much more. Additional concerns for Humboldt Bay are sacred sites like Tuluwat Island, community benefits, and the health of water for the largest producers of oysters in California. The inaugural 2024 Humboldt Aquaculture Symposium, organized by BLR and several partners, brought together 130+ diverse stakeholders to discuss local aquaculture, highlighting the importance of collaboration among industry, academia, and government entities (Picture 5).
Tribes and community groups play a vital role in advocating for sustainable development, particularly in addressing the climate crises and a just energy transition. This overview of California's offshore wind is only a snapshot of the work that has occurred thus far, and I aim to explore further the community benefits and research in this field.
Different Tribal leaders gathered at a press conference after attending the Tribal Offshore Wind Summit hosted by the Yurok Tribe in Eureka, CA on January 31, 2024.
Organizers, including myself (second from right), of the first-ever Humboldt Aquaculture Symposium on February 8, 2024. Organizers represent Blue Lake Rancheria, Lost Coast Ventures, Cal Poly Humboldt, College of the Redwoods, and Trinidad Rancheria. Credit: Isak Brayfindley.
