Offshore wind to the rescue!

Six of the 54 transition towers that have been installed at the Empire Wind area.

​If you’ve been watching the slow-motion saga of American offshore wind, you might want to grab some popcorn—because the plot just took a very satisfying twist.

The five offshore wind areas that were temporarily stalled by the Trump administration are now back under construction, turbines rising like giant “told-you-so’s” on the horizon.

And honestly, it’s about time.

Once these five projects come online, they’ll do more than just spin gracefully in the breeze. They’ll boost American energy independence, help stabilize electric rates, help offset the ballooning energy appetite of data centers, create new opportunities for offshore aquaculture, drive portside improvements, and pump life into supply chain jobs up and down the coast. Not bad for something that critics once dismissed as “steel in the water."​

If you need a preview of what’s coming, just look at the South Fork Wind farm. After a year in the water, results have been nothing short of impressive—exactly the kind of success story that hints at what the next wave of projects will deliver. One thing is certain: there’s no shortage of wind out there. Day, night, winter, summer—it just keeps blowing, reliably and relentlessly. Funny how nature doesn’t need a fuel contract and doesn’t slow down due to political conflicts.

"In its first year of operation, South Fork Wind has proven that offshore wind is a reliable and dependable energy source." [Link at bottom of post]

Meanwhile, natural gas companies continue to stick consumers with higher rates while exporting more and pocketing the profits. We get the pollution and the higher bills; they get the revenue.

Offshore wind, by contrast, doesn’t need pipelines, tankers, or excuses. It just works.

This season also marks a milestone for anglers: the first chance to fish around Empire Wind. All 54 foundations are now installed, and the reef-building process is underway.

Anyone who’s ever dropped a line near structure knows what that means—habitat, fish, and a whole lot of excitement. I’ve said from the beginning that despite the loud objections from some commercial fishing interests, “steel in the water” isn’t the enemy. There are plenty of commercial gear types that thrive around structure, and it won’t be long before black sea bass, lobster, and more start filling pots—and pockets. I can’t help but wonder whether anyone will eventually admit that offshore wind foundations helped make that happen.

But whether they say it out loud or not, the ocean doesn’t lie. Life grows where structure exists. Jobs grow where investment flows. And energy security grows where the wind never stops.

Offshore wind isn’t just coming to the rescue—it’s already here, and the future looks a whole lot brighter because of it!

South-Fork-Wind-Fact-Sheet.pdf