NOAA’s role in offshore wind

Offices and programs throughout NOAA work collaboratively both within the agency and with external partners to bring NOAA’s unique expertise, data and staff capabilities to bear in advancing responsible offshore wind energy deployment. 

NOAA works with partners to provide:

• Coastal and ocean environmental intelligence for understanding and predicting interactions with wildlife, fisheries, habitats and other ocean uses.
• Comprehensive and efficient environmental review and permitting, including technical guidance to support stakeholders through the regulatory process.
• Meteorological, oceanographic and climate observations and forecasts that inform efficient offshore wind siting, design and safe operations over the lifetime of the project, and help to lower energy costs. 
• Authoritative bathymetric (water depth) and biological data, models and maps available for use throughout the planning and development process, including in regional-scale data portals and ocean planning dialogues that support the siting phase of offshore wind energy projects.
• Social science assessments on community perceptions, opinions and knowledge of offshore wind in coastal communities.
• Engagement with maritime and coastal interest groups for community understanding and network building.
• Ecosystem-wide spatial planning models that inform offshore wind energy siting by identifying environmental impacts and conflicts with other ocean uses. 
• Monitoring and mitigation of environmental and ecological impacts.

NOAA engages extensively with partners at the federal, state, regional and local levels to share information and data to support responsible and efficient offshore wind energy development.