President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday temporarily halting the sale of offshore wind leases in federal waters and suspending the issuance of permits, permits and credits for onshore and offshore wind projects.
The Secretary of the Interior will review wind leasing and permitting practices for federal waters and lands. The assessment will take into account the environmental impact of wind projects on wildlife, the economic costs associated with intermittent power generation and the impact of subsidies on the viability of the wind industry, the regulation says.
Trump wants to enhance drilling for oil and gas and is hostile to renewable energy, particularly offshore wind. Trump’s nominee for Interior secretary, Doug Burgum, was asked during his confirmation hearing whether he would commit to continuing the offshore wind leases already in place. Burgum said that projects that make sense and are already enshrined in law will continue.
Wind power currently supplies about 10% of the electricity generated in the United States, making it the country’s largest source of renewable energy. According to the American Clean Power Association, there are currently 73 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity under development in the United States, enough to power 30 million homes.
The order also temporarily prohibits Magic Valley Energy from further development of the Lava Ridge Wind Project in Idaho. The federal government approved a scaled-down plan for the wind farm in December amid local opposition, including from groups concerned about its proximity to a historic site where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II.
During the campaign, Trump promised to end the offshore wind industry as soon as he returned to the White House. He wants to enhance production of fossil fuels like oil, natural gas and coal that cause climate change so that the U.S. has the lowest-cost energy and electricity supply of any nation in the world, he says.
It’s unclear how much authority he has to stop wind projects, particularly those that have federal approval. His order will likely be challenged in court, similar to how an executive order signed by President Joe Biden shortly after he took office in 2021 that suspended fresh oil and gas lease sales was challenged.
Shortly after his election, Trump tapped a New Jersey congressman and vocal offshore wind critic, Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew, to draft an executive order on offshore wind that he could issue early in his term. Van Drew said he quickly sent the draft to Burgum. Van Drew sees the executive order as a first step toward a possible moratorium on offshore wind energy development.
By including onshore wind projects, Monday’s order is far broader than what Van Drew proposed. Trump says wind turbines are terrible, only work with subsidies and are “many, many times” more steep than natural gas.
The Energy Information Administration estimates that offshore wind is among the most steep sources of fresh power generation, at about $100 per megawatt-hour for fresh projects coming online in 2028. These include tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act that reduce the cost of renewable technologies. But onshore wind is one of the cheapest sources, averaging about $31 for fresh projects.
According to estimates, fresh natural gas power plants will produce electricity for almost $43 per megawatt hour. The EIA said in addition to price, it was essential to consider the reliability of the grid – natural gas power plants can operate at any time throughout the day, unlike solar or wind power plants.
Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast NJ, one of the East Coast’s most vocal anti-offshore wind groups, said the fresh executive order is just the first step toward moving the U.S. away from offshore wind, a “harmful technology,” and towards more promising, sustainable energy sources.
But Kit Kennedy, executive director of energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the Trump administration is putting a spotlight on sullied fossil fuels while delaying progress on renewable energy projects. Not only is this bad for pristine air, public health and national security, it also cuts off a promising additional source of electricity at a time when the grid needs it most, Kennedy said in a statement.
The Biden administration sought to expand offshore wind as a solution to climate change by setting national targets for offshore wind deployment, conducting lease sales and approving nearly a dozen commercial-scale offshore wind projects. In March, the country’s first commercial offshore wind farm opened, a 12-turbine wind farm called South Fork Wind 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk Point, New York.
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