America's first major offshore wind farm is up and running. What's next for the industry?

Published May 3, 2024 at 8:52 AM EDT

Giant turbines spinning off the coast of Montauk are bringing New Yorkers enough renewable electricity to power more than 70,000 homes, and putting some wind in the sails of an industry that had been in the doldrums.

South Fork Wind is the country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm. It officially opened last month. Another off Martha’s Vineyard started delivering small amounts of electricity in January and is expected to open fully later this year.

The U.S. has huge potential for offshore wind, but high costs and local opposition have limited the industry for years. Could 2024 be the year that changes?

Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd asks Walt Musial, chief engineer of offshore wind research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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