The Port of Long Beach has announced plans for Pier Wind, a giant floating offshore wind facility designed to help California and the nation achieve renewable energy goals.
The facility, the largest of its kind at any U.S. seaport, will support the manufacture and assembly of offshore wind turbines as tall as the Eiffel Tower.
Pier Wind will enable fully assembled turbines capable of generating 20 megawatts of energy to be towed by sea to offshore wind farms in Central and Northern California.
“As society transitions to clean energy, our harbor is ideally located for such an enterprise – with calm seas behind a federal breakwater, one of the deepest and widest channels in the U.S., direct access to the open ocean and no air height restrictions,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “No other location has the space to achieve the economies of scale needed to drive down the cost of energy for these huge turbines.”
The $4.7 billion project, spanning up to 400 acres within the Harbor District southwest of the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge, will not only provide renewable power but also create jobs and career opportunities for communities disproportionately affected by climate change and port operations.
Construction is slated to begin in January 2027, with the first 100 acres operational in early 2031, the second 100 acres operational in late 2031, and the last 200 acres coming online in 2035.
The facility is planned to help California meet its target of producing 25 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2045, and contribute to lowering the national cost of offshore wind power by 70% by 2035.
“Building Pier Wind lays the foundation for a zero carbon energy future, not only for the public but for our operations as well,” Long Beach Harbor Commission President Sharon L. Weissman said. “Offshore wind is essential to the Port of Long Beach’s own goals to transition to zero emissions, and ensuring there is a ready supply of reliable, resilient, and renewable power is vital for the work we do moving commerce.”
By gCaptain