The Opportunity

Offshore wind generation is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our country. The offshore wind industry in the United States can become a model for building the clean energy economy the right way. The use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) within the industry has been widespread, illustrating a clear roadmap for offshore wind developers to follow to ensure that their workforce is the best of the best while also supporting high-quality job growth in local communities.   

PLAs can also help achieve a fair return to taxpayers because they often reduce project costs for developers, save public funds in the long run, and increase economic benefits for the local economy. Further, PLAs often lead to safer working conditions due to a more skilled workforce. Data suggests that accidents—including death—are more common in states with low-road contractors. PLAs can also provide benefits for communities by offering hiring opportunities to historically marginalized communities, including racial minorities, women, and veterans. Targeted hire agreements can also help achieve this goal. ​​  

At the same time, to maximize the economic benefits of the growing U.S. offshore wind industry and capture the opportunities inherent in this sector, we must look beyond construction and invest in building strong domestic supply chains for the products and materials needed for these projects.   

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) cited global supply chain constraints as one of the most significant risks in meeting the 30GW national offshore wind target goal by 2030. This challenge is also a huge opportunity: One recent white paper estimated that getting to the administration’s goal of 30 GW of OSW deployment by 2030 will require an almost $109 billion buildout of the U.S. offshore wind supply chain. This demands growth in a number of sectors, including wind turbines and towers; turbine and substation foundations; cables; and substations.