Offshore Wind Proponents Back Harris as Political Risk Mounts

(Bloomberg) -- Offshore wind proponents gathered in Manhattan on Monday evening to throw support — and dollars — behind Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, underscoring mounting concerns about the electoral risk hanging over the nascent US industry.

About 70 to 80 people attended the fundraiser at the offices of a law firm in midtown Manhattan, billed as an “offshore wind and clean energy for Harris reception.” The event was described by people familiar with it who asked not to be named because it wasn’t public.

The fundraiser comes at a pivotal time for the sector, which is in the early stages of a potentially massive deployment of turbines in federal waters along the US East Coast. The US government has approved 10 commercial-scale offshore wind farms in federal waters — some being built by major oil companies. The rush of activity also is spurring inland investments in the domestic construction of ships, monopiles and other equipment to be used at the sites. 

Yet the industry is increasingly concerned that the pace of development will be chilled if Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump wins the election in November. Trump, a longtime wind-power critic, has threatened to target the sector if he wins a second term, potentially by pausing project approvals and the sale of new offshore wind leases. 

The sector will “persevere” to deliver critically needed electricity no matter what happens in November, said Kris Ohleth, an event co-host and director of the Special Initiative on Offshore Wind advocacy group. Even so, she said, “we continue to be in a fragile place with supply chain development,” and signals about potential interruptions threaten the “investment we need to continue to bring costs down and really continue on the pace we need.”

Representative Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey running to represent the state in the US Senate, spoke at Monday’s gathering, emphasizing how offshore wind gives the US a chance to expand its energy might and out-innovate competitors overseas. Amanda Lefton, who previously oversaw offshore wind leasing as director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and is now working for energy company RWE AG, also addressed the reception’s crowd of lawyers, consultants and lobbyists, each invited to spend at least $250 for tickets. 

Hosts identified on an event website included a slew of offshore wind advocates, generally involved in their personal capacities and not on behalf of specific companies or groups. They included Kit Kennedy, a managing director at the Natural Resources Defense Council; Josh Kaplowitz, senior counsel with Locke Lord LLP; Fred Zalcman, former director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance; and Tom Carlson, a regulatory affairs director at EDF Renewables.

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