The California Energy Commission has awarded the port of Long Beach with USD20 million of funding to advance the development of Pier Wind, a proposed 400-acre (161-ha) terminal to assemble and deploy floating offshore wind turbines.
The port will invest an additional USD11 million to complete engineering, environmental, business planning and community outreach requirements needed to begin construction on Pier Wind. The proposed USD4.7 billion facility aims to help California meet a goal of generating 25 GW of offshore wind energy by 2045.
“California’s offshore wind energy goals cannot be achieved without onshore development at port facilities like Pier Wind, which will create thousands of manufacturing jobs across the USA,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission president Frank Colonna. “We are grateful for this state funding to make offshore wind a part of California’s energy portfolio.”
The grant funding came from Proposition 4, the climate bond measure approved in 2024 by California voters that set aside USD475 million for port infrastructure projects connected to offshore wind development. The port of Long Beach will seek additional Proposition 4 proceeds for Pier Wind as the state releases those funds.
Pier Wind is undergoing extensive environmental review. Construction could start as soon as 2027, with the first 200 acres (80.9 ha) completed in 2031, and the final 200 acres coming online in 2035.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill last year that would streamline the design and development of Pier Wind by allowing the port of Long Beach to use alternative construction delivery methods. In 2024, the California Energy Commission adopted a final strategic plan for offshore wind energy developments for the state, authorised through Assembly Bill 525. The plan references the need to prioritise seaports, like the port of Long Beach, to serve as assembly and staging sites for wind turbines.
