Advocating for Offshore Wind in Delaware
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Delaware Offshore Wind Events
POWER General Meeting (Virtual)
Join us on Thursday, March 5th, 4 pm, for the monthly POWER meeting where Helen Rose Patterson will show the short new National Wildlife Federation film on offshore wind. The film highlights the work being done across the United States to center wildlife, communities, and habitat protection in the responsible development of offshore wind energy.
Tapping into the abundant wind resources off U.S. coasts will help meet the rising demand for energy, and can be done responsibly by engaging communities, scientists, conservationists, ocean users, and businesses at every step of the process,” said Amber Hewett, senior director of offshore wind energy at the National Wildlife Federation. This film showcases the broad range of experts, innovators, and community leaders involved in ensuring this American energy source is developed responsibly. At a time when offshore wind is facing fierce political headwinds, we are eager to shine a spotlight on the people forging ahead with the research, monitoring, and outreach that will support the long-term success of offshore wind energy while protecting wildlife, local ecosystems, and coastal communities.
As the Senior Campaign Manager with National Wildlife Federation’s Offshore Wind Energy program, Helen Rose Patterson recruits and mobilizes stakeholders, educates the public, and manages coalition efforts to advance the responsible development of offshore wind energy. Helen Rose has worked at National Wildlife Federation since 2015, and prior to joining the Offshore Wind Energy team, she supported efforts to advance large-scale coastal restoration in Louisiana.
Helen Rose will take questions following the film showing. This is your opportunity to learn more about the relation of the environment to offshore wind.
Register Now!
What’s New: Offshore Wind in Delaware
All 5 of the offshore wind projects shut down by Trump in December have been revived, following federal administration orders to shut down. Feb. 2, 2026
In December, Trump suspended all five offshore wind projects under construction in federal waters off the coast of New England, New York and Virginia — grinding construction to a halt. But since then, developers have had a string of successive wins in court challenging the move. Wind developers are now 5-0 in court battles with the administration.
Look for the great new National Wildlife Federation film on our Facts: General Information page. It features our own Capt. Paul Eidman!
Sussex County Council vote to join Fenwick Island’s lawsuit against US Wind. December 21, 2025
Sussex County Council voted Dec. 16 to join a lawsuit filed by the Town of Fenwick Island challenging state laws that support the US Wind offshore wind power project.
The most recent assault on offshore wind by the federal administration. December 20, 2025
Renewable energy companies, as well as state leaders, have expressed alarm over the administration’s stance.
The man behind the fall of offshore wind, Dave Stevenson. December 11, 2025
David Stevenson has solar on his roof and drives a hybrid. How did he become the leader of the movement that helped Trump crush offshore wind farms?
State court stays wind farm request for review. December 4, 2025
A request by a wind farm company for the court to review county denial of a substation project was stayed Dec. 1 by a Superior Court judge.
Delaware Offshore Wind Facts
Jobs
Where there’s an offshore wind project there will be jobs.
These jobs can be sorted into three categories: Direct (construction, engineering, etc.), Indirect (food trucks, manufacture of turbine components), and Operations and Maintenance (ongoing maintenance). If the project site is off the coast of Delaware, Delawareans will be able to apply for jobs in all three categories.
Health
There are health and climate benefits of offshore wind facilities in the mid-Atlantic United States.
Electricity from fossil fuels contributes substantially to both climate change and the health burden of air pollution.
Climate Change
Climate change is speeding toward catastrophe, UN panel says.
A new report says it is still possible to hold global warming to relatively safe levels, but doing so will require global cooperation, billions of dollars and big changes.
Fishing
Sports fishermen off Block Island, RI, find that the underwater structures of offshore wind turbines enhance fishing. Commercial fishermen have concerns.
The data shows that recreational anglers fare well near offshore wind turbines. Some commercial fishermen are troubled by the location of offshore wind turbines and the possibility of tangling their gear on the turbine underwater structures.
Tourism/Public Perception
Polls, visual simulations, research flesh out the picture of public reaction/response to offshore wind.
Delaware offshore wind developer specialists have worked out how an offshore wind farm will look under varying conditions, showing simulations to illustrate their point.
Siting
Making landfall and lining up and/or building facilities that will attach the offshore power to the onshore grid is a concern of Delawareans.
All of this onshore infrastructure activity is usually subsumed under the heading of “Siting.”
BOEM Lease Areas
View Bureau of Ocean Energy Management maps of the area off Delaware’s coast, and learn about BOEM hearings. What has POWER said at the hearings? What are DNREC’s comments?
BOEM controls all offshore wind activity 3 miles from the shore out to the edge of territorial waters.That is the area where offshore wind projects will be located. All federal permits required of offshore wind developers are handled by BOEM.
Birds
“Wind energy can be a powerful factor in protecting the birds that we love,” says the Audubon Society. Read about guidelines for protecting seafaring birds.
Bird lovers want to see birds protected, fearing deadly collisions. Climate change is an even greater threat, you will read.
Marine Mammals
There are no data or evidence linking whale mortalities to any one specific factor, including offshore wind development.
NOAA, the Marine Mammal Commission, and the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management all find no connection between whale strandings and offshore wind.
Recycling
85-90% of a wind turbine can be recycled, according to the U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Recycling materials in decommissioned turbines saves energy and diverts waste from landfills. Learn about progress being made in recycling the remaining 10-15%.