Offshore Wind Industry Braces for More Turbulence—and Trump

This was supposed to be the decade when offshore wind finally took off in the US — going from a near standstill to a potentially massive source of renewable energy by 2030. And while the green technology has had notable successes, the sector itself has struggled; companies have lost billions of dollars, with inflation forcing developers to delay or scrap big projects. Now the industry, which is critical to fulfilling US climate goals, faces mounting political risks — underscored by criticism Donald Trump delivered on an East Coast beach.

During a mid-May oceanfront rally in New Jersey, the presumptive Republican nominee vowed to issue an executive order targeting offshore wind development if he wins a second term as president in the Nov. 5 election. He accused offshore wind projects of killing birds and whales and made his most explicit threat yet toward the growing industry: “We are going to make sure that that ends on day one,” he said. “I’m going to write it out in an executive order.” The threat represents a stark departure from his hands-off approach to offshore wind as president.