University of California, Santa Barbara, Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, Mar 2014
If offshore wind (OSW) is to contribute to California’s renewable
energy goals, government agenc... more If offshore wind (OSW) is to contribute to California’s renewable
energy goals, government agencies, developers, and the public must
first understand the industry’s feasibility in all coastal regions. Out of
mutual interest in locally reducing fossil fuel use and expanding
renewable energy production, the clients proposed this project
to explore the potential of OSW off San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara,
and Ventura Counties (the region of interest, or ROI). The ‘CalWind’
team has spent the last year working toward this objective. The
breadth of topics associated with wind energy development in
California’s marine environment is substantial, and performing
robust studies of all OSW feasibility variables was beyond the scope
of a one-year project. Therefore, CalWind focused on three facets of
feasibility:
1) Stakeholder perceptions
2) Spatial analysis of wind resources and conflicting uses
3) Permitting pathways
Interviews and a public survey identify key stakeholders and show
that the majority of survey respondents are supportive of OSW.
However, concerns arise around possible viewshed and avian
impacts. Next, commercially exploitable wind resources exist in the
ROI, but spatial analyses indicate that conflicts will likely occur
between OSW development and current uses of the marine
environment. Lastly, the permitting process for OSW is complex
and untested. The team mapped this process and concludes that
regulatory synergies could be enhanced through inter-agency
cooperation.Limiting consideration to the factors analyzed in this
project, OSW development in the ROI is theoretically feasible, but
significant development barriers currently restrict industry
advancement.
energy goals, government agencies, developers, and the public must
first understand the industry’s feasibility in all coastal regions. Out of
mutual interest in locally reducing fossil fuel use and expanding
renewable energy production, the clients proposed this project
to explore the potential of OSW off San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara,
and Ventura Counties (the region of interest, or ROI). The ‘CalWind’
team has spent the last year working toward this objective. The
breadth of topics associated with wind energy development in
California’s marine environment is substantial, and performing
robust studies of all OSW feasibility variables was beyond the scope
of a one-year project. Therefore, CalWind focused on three facets of
feasibility:
1) Stakeholder perceptions
2) Spatial analysis of wind resources and conflicting uses
3) Permitting pathways
Interviews and a public survey identify key stakeholders and show
that the majority of survey respondents are supportive of OSW.
However, concerns arise around possible viewshed and avian
impacts. Next, commercially exploitable wind resources exist in the
ROI, but spatial analyses indicate that conflicts will likely occur
between OSW development and current uses of the marine
environment. Lastly, the permitting process for OSW is complex
and untested. The team mapped this process and concludes that
regulatory synergies could be enhanced through inter-agency
cooperation.Limiting consideration to the factors analyzed in this
project, OSW development in the ROI is theoretically feasible, but
significant development barriers currently restrict industry
advancement.