Nearly two dozen projects are moving forward in the United States. Most activity is localized on the East Coast, an ideal location for offshore wind development due to strong winds, shallow waters, and proximity to major population centers. U.S. offshore wind turbines currently use foundations fixed directly to the ocean floor in the shallow waters of the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf to allow for easier installation. While development has primarily occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, the federal government recently initiated siting processes to expand offshore wind to the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, making offshore wind a national industry.
(source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
