Curious About Offshore Wind?

From April 24-27 I had the opportunity to join the Vineyard Offshore and County of Humboldt Offshore Wind Delegation on a trip to Massachusetts to discuss challenges and successes related to offshore wind on the East Coast. Here I got the chance to contemplate what bringing offshore wind power to Humboldt could mean for our business community.

Our delegation spent a full day on the ocean to tour the first large-scale offshore wind project in the United States. We met with Vineyard Offshore team members as well as others working on tribal partnerships, fisheries, workforce and supply chain development, and community outreach.

We learned about the rich culture and history of the surrounding communities we visited and how their lives have been changed due to the development of offshore wind. We came to a better understanding about how to avoid common pitfalls and leverage local opportunities in the emerging offshore wind industry.

Just before our trip, the County of Humboldt Board of Supervisors approved a new program called WindLINK, which will support local businesses as they seek to become part of the offshore wind supply chain. The Redwood Coast Chamber Foundation, our affiliate organization, will serve as the convener for WindLINK, in collaboration with partners including the County, RREDC, SBDC, Apex Accelerator, and of course the Greater Eureka Chamber. Stay tuned for more information about this exciting new program.

Want to learn more? Watch our recent Conversations with Leaders session which delved into methods for building offshore wind infrastructure in Humboldt County. Hear directly from experts with Vineyard Offshore, RWE’s local Canopy Offshore Wind Farm project, Humboldt Bay Harbor District and the County of Humboldt.