US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said this week that offshore wind has no future under the Trump administration, citing cost and reliability concerns. Speaking at the Gastech conference in Milan, Burgum confirmed that the Department of the Interior is reviewing five offshore wind projects already under construction: Revolution Wind (Rhode Island), Vineyard Wind 1 (Massachusetts), Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, Sunrise Wind (New York), and Empire Wind (New York).
President Trump banned new offshore wind leases on his first day in office and ordered a review of existing permits. Burgum criticised past approvals as rushed and politically driven. In August, the Department of the Interior ordered Ørsted to halt construction of the 80% complete Revolution Wind project, citing national security issues, despite its full permitting and heavy investment.
