A mock-up image of what the Samoa Peninsula would look like with the Redwood Marine Terminal retooled for the offshore wind industry. File graphic via the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District.

###

Fresh off the news that President Donald Trump’s offshore wind ban has been overturned in federal court, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors today received a presentation on the various opportunities and challenges of developing the industry locally.

In short, our region has a lot of work ahead if it hopes to develop the workforce and supply chain necessary to play a leading role in floating offshore wind on the West Coast. That’s the takeaway from a series of reports prepared by consulting firm Xodus Group, which spent more than two years researching and coordinating with regional partners.

Andy Logan, the head of industry development with that firm, called in to today’s meeting to deliver a presentation summarizing his reports, which assess workforce development needs and supply chain challenges and offer a long list of 22 strategic recommendations. 

As locals may recall, two federal lease areas off our coast were auctioned off in December of 2022, with the international energy firms RWE and Vineyard Wind emerging victorious. The Board of Supervisors later adopted a resolution committing the county to ensuring community benefits and sustainable economic opportunities.

However, there has been significant community skepticism about potential impacts to ocean fisheries and the level of industrialization that would be required to equip our harbor with a heavy-lift marine terminal capable of assembling and installing the massive floating wind turbines.

In 2023, the Humboldt County Workforce Development Board received a $1.5 million grant from the state Employment Development Department for offshore wind education and early planning. The reports delivered at today’s meeting are the fruit of that investment.

Logan, in his presentation, repeatedly stressed the importance of planning ahead. He recommend that the county quickly designate an offshore wind coordinator, form a regional task force and launch a centralized “source of truth” on offshore wind progress in order to cut through confusion and misinformation.

Addressing the region’s workforce, Logan said there’s relatively little manufacturing experience, at least when it comes to supporting offshore infrastructure projects. 

“Around 10 percent of all employed individuals in the Redwood Coast are performing jobs that are required by the offshore wind industry,” he said. He also warned about the limited scale and capacity of local companies, “many of which struggle to secure a larger contract without some targeted support.”

Logan identified significant threats to industry development here, including “uncertainty around project timelines and federal infrastructure policies, as well as the strong competition that will come from experienced suppliers in more established offshore wind markets.”

But there are opportunities, too, given the global supply chain pressures and California’s ongoing support for offshore wind. Logan said our local educational institutions, including Cal Poly Humboldt, College of the Redwoods and tribal entities, can serve as hubs for training and “up-skilling.”

He recommended that local leaders pursue “targeted investment” in training opportunities in construction, maritime trades and STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) tailored to offshore wind.

It sounded like maybe Logan hadn’t heard the news about the overturning of Trump’s offshore wind ban, though of course it’s likely that the court ruling will be appealed by the administration, At any rate, Logan said the “slowdown” at the federal level could be a good thing.

“[It] offers some breathing room to do careful planning and research, to grow community awareness participation, to consult and collaborate with tribal nations and to strengthen healthy partnerships,” he said.

The reports prepared by Xodus include a list of 22 recommended actions to “maximize economic development and job creation opportunities for the residents of the Redwood Coast.” 

You can access all four reports produced by the firm via the links below.

###

DOCUMENTS