The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved grant funding of over $10m for renovations at the Port of Humboldt Bay to support offshore wind activities in an area designated for development on the north coast.
Activities funded by the grant include completing preliminary engineering and design work, conducting site surveys and special studies, preparing necessary environmental impact assessments, implementing early construction, and initiating environmental mitigation measures.
The funds may also be used to attract matching funds from Federal grants and to contribute towards project construction.
The funding was approved as part of the 2021–2022 state budget.
CEC said the Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal will be capable of handling large heavy cargo vessels, offshore wind floating platform development and integration and decommissioning, and other maritime activities.
It added that investing in offshore wind port infrastructure is critical to opening the opportunity for offshore wind development in California.
The terminal is expected to initially support the development of up to 1.6GW of offshore wind in the Humboldt call area, enough electricity to power up to 1.6 million California homes.
CEC commissioner Kourtney Vaccaro said: “I’m excited by the opportunity to partner with the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District in their pursuit of revitalising their port to support the necessary infrastructure for deploying ocean based clean energy resources that will benefit Californians.
“Offshore wind is an important part of the state’s clean electricity future, providing critical supply at night to complement our abundant solar resources.”
CEC said the project is expected to revitalize the waterfront industry in Humboldt County and provide living wage jobs to nearby communities.
An economic assessment found that the terminal could generate as many as 830 local jobs and more than $130 million in industry output over a five-year period, it said
Harbor District board president Greg Dale said: “Humboldt Bay has the optimal conditions to serve as the primary port for the offshore wind industry for the entire West Coast.
“We are fully dedicated to prepare our port for this remarkable opportunity and we are honored to be working with the California Energy Commission to launch California into the future of energy production.”