The Global Floating Wind Industry Flexes Its Muscles (Including California, Too)

May 30 (cleantechnica.com) Beginning in the early 2000’s, US taxpayers devoted many millions of dollars to support new floating wind turbine technology, enabling many more gigawatts of clean power to be harvested from offshore sites. Too bad all that blood, sweat, and tears went to waste after US President Donald Trump blew up the domestic offshore wind industry upon retaking office last year. However, it’s a big world out there…

California Grabs The Floating Wind Ball Dropped By Trump

Oh the irony, it burns. Once upon a time, the global effort to develop new floating offshore wind turbine platforms was vigorously supported here in the US, steered by the Department of Energy with private sector partners. Some of those domestic partners — Principle Power is one leading example — have been plying their wares in overseas markets for lack of opportunities and supportive policies here in the US.

As for commercial-level prospects in the US, the waters of coastal California offer the low-hanging fruit. Much of the coast is too deep for the fixed-in-seabed monopiles used in conventional offshore wind farms. The solution is to set the turbines on floating platforms, which can be tethered to the seabed by slim cables (see more floating turbine background here).

As the fourth-largest economy in the world, California is determined to take advantage of its generous offshore wind resources. The state has affirmed a near-term goal of 25 gigawatts, Trump or no Trump. California is also a member of the Global Offshore Wind Alliance, smoothing the way for collaboration with other leading floating wind stakeholders including Norway and Japan, among others.

The Latest News From Norway, And Japan

The Norway-Japan connection was reinforced on May 28, when the organization Norwegian Offshore Wind announced an agreement with the Japanese-headquartered institution Floating Offshore Wind Technology Research Association. The new partnership builds on previous work joining the economic development agency Innovation Norway and FLOWRA.

The Chairperson of FLOWRA’s Board of Directors, Masakatsu Terazaki, describes how the two partners can combine resources to accelerate floating wind uptake globally, particularly in regards to Norway’s industry-leading METCentre (Marine Energy Test Centre) demonstration facility.

“By combining the efforts and expertise of NOW and FLOWRA, we trust that we can accelerate the development of fundamental technologies for floating offshore wind, as well as the establishment of validation and assessment methodologies,” Terazaki observed in a press statement.

“Furthermore, by supporting the formation of the supply chain, we aim to contribute to the expansion of the floating offshore wind market and, ultimately, to the realization of a sustainable society,” he emphasized.

NOW underscored the point, noting that offshore wind is a “truly global industry.

“Norway and Japan have many similarities as offshore wind nations — in both countries, the greatest long-term potential lies in deep waters and floating offshore wind.” NOW further noted.

Read full article: https://cleantechnica.com/2026/05/30/floating-offshore-wind-us-california-global-norway-japan/