State grant powers proposed floating offshore wind energy project
The Port of Long Beach on Wednesday was awarded $20 million by the California Energy Commission to fund the ongoing development of Pier Wind, a proposed 400-acre terminal to assemble and deploy floating offshore wind turbines.
As the largest recipient of the agency’s Offshore Wind Energy Waterfront Facility Improvement Program from state bond funding, the Port of Long Beach will match $11 million to complete engineering, environmental, business planning and community outreach requirements needed to begin construction on Pier Wind. The proposed $4.7 billion facility aims to help California meet a goal of generating 25 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2045 – enough to power 25 million homes statewide.
“Our Pier Wind project will ensure California’s offshore wind energy goals are achieved,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “We thank the California Energy Commission for funding the Pier Wind project, which will enhance the nation’s energy independence and strengthen the electric grid to support electrification investments across the supply chain.”
“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 U.S.,” 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 which set aside $475 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 would allow for the staging, storage and assembly of some of the world’s largest offshore wind turbines, standing as tall as the Eiffel Tower. The fully assembled turbines would be towed by sea from the Port of Long Beach to wind lease areas 20 to 30 miles off the coast in Central and Northern California.
The proposed project is undergoing extensive environmental review by local, state and federal regulatory agencies as the Port of Long Beach gathers input from the community. Construction could start as soon as 2027, with the first 200 acres completed in 2031, and the final 200 acres coming online in 2035. A recent preliminary economic impact report found that Pier Wind could create more than 6,000 jobs and generate $8 billion in labor income, $14.5 billion in economic output and $1.3 billion in state and local taxes between now and 2045.
“The $20 million award from the California Energy Commission is a commitment and investment in healthy, thriving communities and a sustainable future,” said state Sen. Lena Gonzalez. “With this funding, the Pier Wind project will break ground, creating jobs, boosting economic growth, and propelling progress on our state’s ambitious goals for offshore wind energy and emissions reductions.”
“Despite facing significant challenges in this year’s budget, we remained laser-focused on investing in our priorities, including offshore wind development,” said Assemblyman Josh Lowenthal. “The funding we secured will support critically important offshore wind projects in our district, lift up marginalized communities, and create new opportunities for underrepresented populations in the workforce, including women and previously incarcerated individuals, to build careers in engineering, construction, and maintenance of offshore wind construction sites and our farms.”
Gov. 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, authorized through Assembly Bill 525. The plan references the need to prioritize seaports, like the Port of Long Beach, to serve as assembly and staging sites for wind turbines.
The California State Lands Commission and the ports of Long Beach and Humboldt entered into a memorandum of understanding in December 2024 to collaborate on permitting, community engagement, environmental justice, clean energy strategies and Native American Tribal consultation to advance a multiport strategy for offshore wind deployment and workforce development.
