Headwinds for Offshore Power Generation

Offshore wind turbines tower over a road in New Bedford near Vineyard Wind's offices on Jan. 23, 2025.

Michael P. Norton/SHNS

In another setback for the offshore wind power sector Massachusetts is relying upon, the Trump administration on Thursday announced that all Department of Interior decisions concerning wind and solar energy facilities will undergo "elevated review" by the secretary's office.

The department stated it is "ending preferential treatment for unreliable, subsidy-dependent wind and solar energy" and said the move follows a Trump executive order "Ending Market Distorting Subsidies for Unreliable, Foreign-Controlled Energy Sources."

"Today’s actions further deliver on President Trump’s promise to tackle the Green New Scam and protect the American taxpayers’ dollars," Acting Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management Adam Suess said in a statement. "American Energy Dominance is driven by U.S.-based production of reliable baseload energy, not regulatory favoritism towards unreliable energy projects that are solely dependent on taxpayer subsidies and foreign-sourced equipment."

The department on Thursday also announced updated guidelines for states applying to federal programs aimed at cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells. It said so-called orphaned wells left behind by bankruptcies and economic downturns "can leak methane, harm public health and interfere with new energy development."

Offshore wind power development is the centerpiece of efforts in Massachusetts to reduce carbon emissions, grow energy jobs, and create home-grown power. While state lawmakers and governors have pursued the sector's growth for many years, only a small number of offshore turbines are currently generating energy.