Developing Stakeholder Partnerships – Sharing the Benefits and Opportunities for Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission

On June 28, 2022, from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. EDT, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) hosted an Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Stakeholder Workshop.

Members of the public who have an interest in offshore wind (OSW) and clean energy, live on or near the Atlantic Coast from Maine to South Carolina, and/or participate in the marine economy were encouraged to attend.

This Stakeholder Workshop focused on strategies to support sustainable and equitable development of OSW transmission that minimize impacts to ocean co-users and marine environments and creates benefits for coastal and underserved communities, and the Nation as a whole.

Held in parallel to the development of the analysis for the Atlantic OSW Transmission (AOSWT) Study, this workshop was part of a series of convenings to share lessons learned. The goal was also to collect stakeholder input to the development of DOE and BOEM’s recommendations and action plan for addressing near-, medium-, and long-term OSW transmission challenges.

The workshop provided educational resources and discussed the wide range of benefits stemming from a coordinated OSW transmission system. It was also be used as a mechanism to gather feedback on how best to leverage the positive benefits and mitigate the negative impacts of OSW transmission development.

The workshop participants were asked to provide feedback on three key questions:

1. What benefits and opportunities does OSW transmission development provide to our communities (both coastal communities, and the Nation as a whole), and how do we ensure those benefits are delivered in a just and equitable manner?
2. What anticipated impacts need to be avoided, minimized, or mitigated?
3. How can we foster stakeholder engagement and ensure mutually beneficial outcomes when developing OSW transmission?

If you would like to submit comments on the topic of coordinated transmission development along the Atlantic Coast, please submit them to OSWTransmission@hq.doe.gov. Comments must be received by August 1, 2022.