Cal Poly report highlights offshore wind's potential to spur green energy transition 

Morro Bay's wind farm-based future may provide a significant economic impact to the city, according to a report published by two Cal Poly professors.

"The projects in Morro Bay are the linchpin to California's transition to green energy," Cyrus Ramezani said.

The Cal Poly finance professor co-authored the May 31 report alongside fellow professor Mahdi Rastad, highlighting the commerce that might be generated from the introduction of floating offshore wind turbines along and around the Morro Bay coastline.

click to enlarge

• Photo Courtesy Of Cal Poly, By Nov Inc.
• ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT A report from Cal Poly professors Cyrus Ramezani and Mahdi Rastad discusses how floating wind turbines have the potential to bring jobs to Morro Bay and help the state transition to greener energy sources.

The report, which was sponsored by the California Workforce Development Board, focused on the unique type of floating wind farm that could be installed on the coastline after the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management coordinated the sale of the project in December 2022.

California's current plan includes generating between 2,000 and 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 via wind farms stretching across the entire coast—and, according to the report, Morro Bay may be the key to ensuring that project's success.

"Central Coast projects [like this] are going to provide the test grounds for these new and evolving floating offshore technologies," Ramezani said.

The report suggests that in being the testing ground for floating turbines—which do not require drilling into the seabed for installation—Morro Bay would demonstrate how wind farms could be even more environmentally friendly than just providing green energy.

That floating wind farm technology was discussed at the Offshore Wind Summit conference held in Sacramento in May—attended by members of the Morro Bay subcommittee on Offshore Wind Energy as part of the city's commitment to making sure residents are informed of the impact.

In previous New Times reporting, Morro Bay Mayor and subcommittee head Carla Wixom said that the city and residents were initially concerned about the potential offshore drilling that would happen if traditional offshore wind turbines were installed 20 miles off of the Morro Bay coast. Since then, the city was informed that it did not have the means to accommodate traditional wind farms, but—as the Cal Poly report reiterates—Morro Bay does have the infrastructure to connect offshore wind farms to the power grid.

"There will be a whole lot of work for manufacturing and construction," Ramezani said. "These are good, well-paying, long-term jobs."

According to the report, jobs like wind turbine service technicians, metal fabricators and fitters, welders, and shipping boat captains are some of the jobs that would be generated if the wind farms do move forward.

In the report, Ramezani and Rastad concluded that all of the commerce generated from wind farms was something that should be considered in any city policy going forward and that—more importantly—clear collaboration between the city, residents, and companies would be the key to a greener future in California.

"To conclude ... the success of the industry hinges upon investments in the supply chain, infrastructure and ports, and vocation training programs," the report said. "Meeting California's floating offshore wind milestones will be challenging, but it can be done with coordinated efforts, investments in both physical and human capital, and effective collaboration among stakeholders." Δ