The Oregon legislature has overwhelmingly approved an offshore wind bill, HB 3375, that sets a goal for the development of up to three gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2030. Governor Brown signed HB 3375 into law on June 23, 2021. The new law is assigned to Chapter 376 and will be effective September 25, 2021.
The first step toward this goal is for the state’s Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a literature review of the benefits and challenges of integrating up to three gigawatts of floating offshore wind energy into Oregon's electric grid by 2030. The DOE will gather input from local, regional, and federal entities, as well as hold at least two public meetings to hear from stakeholders as part of the literature review. The DOE must provide a report summarizing the key findings of its literature review to the Legislative Assembly by September 15, 2022. We recommend that renewable energy developers and other industry participants interested in being on-the-ground as the Oregon offshore wind industry takes shape attend the public meetings to make their presence known and voices heard.
With Oregon's passing of HB 3375, opportunities abound for renewable energy industry members. Miller Nash's renewable energy team is actively monitoring and following this emerging area of the law for our clients moving forward.
