Wind Energy: Offshore Permitting

Abstract

Technological advancements and tax incentives have driven a global expansion in the development of renewable energy resources. Wind energy, in particular, is now often cited as the fastest growing commercial energy source in the world. Currently, all U.S. wind energy facilities are based on land; however, multiple offshore projects have been proposed and are moving through the permitting process. It is clear that the United States has the authority to permit and regulate offshore wind energy development within the zones of the oceans under its jurisdiction. The federal government and coastal states each have roles in the permitting process, the extent of which depends on whether the project is located in state or federal waters. Currently, no single federal agency has exclusive responsibility for permitting activities on submerged lands in federal waters; authority is instead allocated among various agencies based on the nature of the resource to be exploited and the type of impacts incidental to such exploitation. Likewise, in the wind energy context, several federal agencies will have a role to play in permitting development and operation activities.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA494339

Entities

People

  • Adam Vann

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Congress
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Environmental Protection
  • Governments
  • Habitats
  • International Law
  • Law
  • Marine Mammals
  • National Governments
  • National Security
  • Offshore Wind Power
  • Renewable Energy
  • United States
  • Wildlife
  • Wind Energy
  • Wind Turbines

Readers

  • Economics
  • Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Engineering.
  • Government and Public Administration Law.