Trump Administration Actually Likes Wind Power.

Trump administration promises "big role" for offshore wind power | WorkBoat

Saying "offshore wind will play a big role" in energy plans, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced on Friday draft guidelines to give wind farm developers more flexibility in their construction and operations plans.

From article, (Saying “offshore wind will play a big role” in energy plans, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced on Friday draft guidelines to give wind farm developers more flexibility in their construction and operations plans.

The move appears to finally commit the Trump administration’s support for offshore wind, coming just a week after Zinke said the Department of Interior will open much more of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) to oil and gas exploration.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will permit wind developers the option of using a “design envelope” approach to planning, which would account for the rapid pace of development in the industry.

That means plans for wind arrays off the East Coast for the mid-2020s will be allowed to delay some key decisions, such as their choice of turbine size and models, until later in the process “at the more commercially advantageous time,” according to Interior officials.

“The Outer Continental Shelf’s offshore wind potential is a tremendous asset and part of the administration’s ‘America First Energy Plan’ to make it easier for industry to do business here.” Zinke said in his announcement Friday. “And, now more than ever, we must use every tool at our disposal to ensure an energy-secure future – one that promotes jobs and is affordable, competitive and safe. Offshore wind will play a big role in this future.”

BOEM will also apply the administration’s attitude of streamlining review and permitting processes to wind projects, like other infrastructure work, Interior officials said. Using the design envelope approach would allow BOEM to analyze the environmental impacts of the proposed project in a manner that could reduce or eliminate the need for subsequent environmental and technical reviews without sacrificing appropriate environmental safeguards,” according to the agency.)

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