It is becoming clear for the United States to reach its decarbonization target of net-zero emissions by 2050, a robust offshore wind sector will be an important piece of the puzzle.
The federal government has recognized this and, in response, has set an ambitious target of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030. In the past few years, that shift toward making offshore wind more of a priority has made headway.
Felisa Sanchez, counsel at K&L Gates, a law firm that works in the maritime space, says her work has shifted from oil and gas to offshore wind as the energy industry has adjusted its market focus. “I think that’s true for a lot of people that used to do a lot of offshore oil- and gas-related work,” says Sanchez. “We’re seeing more of the work, within the United States at least, focused on offshore wind or a hybrid mix practice incorporating both offshore wind and offshore oil and gas.”
However, despite its ambitious goals and progres