The US offshore wind industry is facing an unprecedented crisis of confidence as attendees gather in Virginia Beach for this year’s IPF 2025 conference.
President Donald Trump’s broadside against the sector has brought with it a new era of uncertainty as projects formerly thought to be safe such as EDF’s up to 4GW Atlantic Shores have had permits revoked, while Equinor’s 810MW Empire Wind in New York was ordered to stop work earlier this month.
Former Bureau of Ocean Energy Management director Elizabeth Klein told reNEWS ahead of IPF 2025 that it remains unclear which National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration document Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s shutdown order against Empire Wind was citing.
“I don’t think there is any document that exists that would justify the action they are taking,” Klein said. “None of it makes any sense, frankly, and it’s no wonder that the US is increasingly being seen as a risky investment by industries of all kinds.”
Delegates attending IPF 2025 will be urged to stay the course, however, as supply chain, grid investments and state level policy moves can still be made in the short term while the political dust settles.
For the full story, see the first reNEWS Live@ IPF 2025 show daily (sponsored by Ampelmann) from the event in Virginia Beach https://renews.biz/media/34019/renews-live-ipf-2025_1st-edition-preview.pdf.
Other stories from the edition cover US Forged Rings intention to press ahead with building a production facility in North Carolina despite the challenges facing the US offshore wind sector.
State authorities and transmission operators are meanwhile being urged to prioritise investment in grid upgrades that can support future renewable energy expansion once the current market turbulence abates.