Media

Turn Forward Adds Environmental, Equity and Government Depth to Offshore Wind Advocacy Efforts

Turn Forward announced the expansion of their offshore wind advocacy capabilities and capacity with the hire of Catherine Bowes and Sara Bentoumia Parkison. Launched late last year, Turn Forward is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing an ambitious vision for American offshore wind power that meets today’s climate, economic, equity and environmental challenges. The new team members will help initiate the group’s top policy priorities in the coming year.

Turn Forward statement on new Director at Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

“Turn Forward welcomes the news of Elizabeth Klein’s appointment as the next Director of BOEM at a critically important time for the development of offshore wind in the United States. Under current BOEM Director Amanda Lefton’s leadership, the agency has advanced the Biden Administration’s offshore wind ambitions with new project approvals, lease offerings and plans to put new Wind Energy Areas into circulation in the near future.

Liz Klein brings strong environmental and government credentials to an important position at a pivotal moment in time. As offshore wind seeks to gain traction in a challenging environment, the experienced leadership she brings to BOEM is welcome. We look forward to working with Ms. Klein as the Administration boosts renewable energy production from offshore wind while taking care to ensure that the buildout of offshore wind equitably benefits American workers and communities, and our marine and coastal resources are carefully safeguarded.”

US offshore wind industry to hit major milestones in 2023

McClellan, who has worked on offshore wind initiatives since 2010, said the organization launched late last month to help guide the industry as it moves into this new phase of large-scale development. The goal is to build many gigawatts’ worth of offshore wind capacity in ways that not only tackle climate change but also address the country’s economic and equity challenges, all while protecting marine and coastal resources.

“Rolling into 2023, this is a moment to start to envision what offshore wind’s future is going to look like in this country,” she told Canary Media.

Offshore wind in 2022: Billions in bids and new confidence

Three offshore wind auctions in succession were the most visible sign of the Biden administration’s commitment to make its clean energy targets in the last year. They were also part of a push to inject certainty into the young market, said Stephanie McClellan, executive director of Turn Forward, a nonprofit advocating for responsible offshore wind growth.

“The spigot gets turned on,” she said. “Everything just gets more real.”

First offshore wind power sites auctioned off California’s coast. One day it could power 1.5M homes.

They mark the beginnings of a critical U.S.-based industry to build floating offshore wind turbines and the technology and know-how that goes with them, said Stephanie McClellan, executive director of Turn Forward, an offshore wind advocacy organization.

“We’re excited that the vast potential of offshore wind on the west coast is on its way to fruition,” she said. “Now California – and the United States – have an opportunity to be a major global exporter for the offshore floating wind industry.”

Offshore wind must be a significant pillar of US’ evolving net zero energy portfolio

The American sector’s acceleration in the last two years is consigning decades of slow-rolling progress to history , writes Stephanie McClellan, but taking this resource ‘to game-changing scale, ensuring its impact is as positive and deep as its uptake is broad’ is the challenge at hand.

‘Build up – and right’ | New US offshore wind advocacy body launches to speed first 100GW

A new US advocacy body has been launched to spearhead a civil society-minded national agenda for American offshore wind power that answers the country’s current climate, economic, equity and environmental challenges.

The organisation, Turn Forward, to be led by sector veteran Stephanie McClellan, aims to work with the federal and state governments to create a plan by 2025 for construction of 100GW-plus of sea-based plant, along “with strong policies in place to maximise benefits to communities and workers and ensure environmental protections as the renewable energy source is developed”.

A new offshore wind player

A new U.S. offshore wind advocacy group launches today that backers say adds a fresh dimension to support for expanding the nascent energy source, Ben writes.

Driving the news: The nonprofit Turn Forward will “advance a shared, multi-stakeholder vision for American offshore wind power that meets today’s climate, economic, equity and environmental challenges.”

“Turn Forward” Launched to Advocate for Ambitious, Shared Vision of U.S. Offshore Wind Expansion

Turn Forward, an independent, non-profit offshore wind advocacy organization, launched today to advance a shared, multi-stakeholder vision for American offshore wind power that meets today’s climate, economic, equity and environmental challenges. The new organization will work with a broad array of stakeholders to build momentum for policies and projects that significantly expand offshore wind generation, deliver game-changing benefits to workers and communities, and protect marine and coastal resources.

U.S. Coastal Residents Strongly Support Offshore Wind

By wide margins, offshore wind is popular among U.S. coastal residents, with seven in 10 voters in support of expanding offshore wind energy and majorities seeing it as beneficial in addressing climate change and improving the economy, a new poll from Nexus Polling and Turn Forward finds.