The offshore wind (OSW) industry is thriving in Virginia, bringing significant investment, job creation, and clean energy leadership to Hampton Roads.¹ The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, or CVOW, is set to be the largest OSW project in the nation, demonstrating the role OSW can play in our clean energy transition and helping Virginia become a pioneer in the industry.

OSW has environmental, public health, and economic benefits, all while helping meet growing energy demand. Deployment of large-scale wind power is also better for Virginia’s² coastal communities, which face rising temperatures³ and more frequent extreme storms⁴ due to climate change. Not only will OSW help the Commonwealth confront the climate crisis head-on by reducing carbon pollution from the electricity sector, but it will also provide massive economic development opportunities and create thousands of local, long-term, family-supporting jobs for Virginians – including high school and college graduates, returning citizens, and veterans transitioning to the civilian workforce.⁵

Studies have repeatedly shown that a robust OSW industry will deliver substantial economic returns to the Commonwealth. The buildout and operation of the CVOW project alone is expected to support thousands of jobs and result in hundreds of millions in annual economic output.⁶ The full potential economic benefits are enormous, upwards of $109 billion⁷ in revenue from the OSW industry⁸ and related supply chains. For example, LS GreenLink invested $700 million⁹ in Chesapeake for an underwater cable manufacturing facility and broke ground on the project in early 2025.OSW also increases domestic energy independence, enhances energy security,¹⁰ and provides a stable and highly efficient means of power. OSW complements solar energy in a clean power grid by generating electricity at night and at greater capacity during winter months.¹¹

Virginia remains a pioneer in OSW in the U.S. In 2020, Dominion Energy, one of Virginia’s investor-owned utilities, began operating the first offshore wind farm in U.S. federal waters – the 12 megawatt (MW) CVOW pilot project, which is about 27 miles offshore of Virginia Beach. In 2024, Dominion began construction on the nearby commercial-scale CVOW project, which is expected to be completed by 2026. Once finished, it will be the largest OSW project in the country – producing 2,600 MW of electricity, enough clean energy to power over 660,000 homes, and avoid as much as 5 million tons of carbon emissions annually.¹² Dominion is also planning to build another 3,400 MW of OSW energy during the 2030s,¹³ exceeding even the requirements of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (see CHARTING VIRGINIA’S CLEAN ENERGY PATH), which outlines the development of an additional 2,600 MW (for a total of 5,200 MW) during that decade.¹⁴

As part of the construction and operation of CVOW, Dominion has implemented strong wildlife protection measures including: avoiding construction in migratory corridors and important feeding areas;¹⁵ designing a construction schedule that avoids seasons when at-risk species like whales are most present; forgoing nighttime pile driving; and using Protected Species Observers, bubble curtains,¹⁶ and vessel speed restrictions during construction. Public trust in these protection measures has been bolstered by clear findings from NOAA Fisheries,¹⁷ the Ocean Conservancy,¹⁸ and the Marine Mammal Commission¹⁹ that all confirm no credible evidence links OSW to North Atlantic right whale mortalities. Dominion is also making efforts to minimize the onshore impacts of transmission lines on natural and cultural resources and environmental justice communities.²⁰ CVOW’s turbine foundations will enhance rocky marine habitat and support some local fisheries (see REBUILDING HEALTHY FISHERIES).²¹ OSW can also be developed responsibly, with protections for marine mammals and other wildlife.

Virginia’s geographic strengths – strong Atlantic wind resources, deep-water ports, and a skilled maritime workforce – make Virginia the ideal state for OSW development.²² Studies have shown this will diversify Virginia’s energy supplies, strengthen grid resilience amid rising energy demand from data center expansion, and expand manufacturing capabilities (see ADDRESSING DATA CENTER ENERGY DEMAND).²³

As evidenced by CVOW, OSW can be done in a way that protects wildlife and minimizes impacts from onshore and offshore development. State agencies can continue to ensure the responsible development of future OSW infrastructure by using least-conflict siting and the best available science to avoid, minimize, and mitigate impacts on ocean and onshore wildlife and habitats, cultural resources, and communities.²⁴ Prioritizing existing energy corridors, co-locating new infrastructure, and engaging communities early will help address visual, noise, and traffic concerns.

To truly unlock the potential of OSW energy in Virginia, action can be taken to promote robust OSW business and supply chains in the Commonwealth. OSW workforce development can be prioritized at the state level, including by establishing training programs and resources to enable participation in those programs, while ensuring that these opportunities are available to workers from historically economically disadvantaged communities.²⁵ Such programs could be augmented by partnerships with union apprenticeship programs, community colleges, trade schools, and veteran programs to create curricula for worker safety certifications, turbine installation, operations, maintenance, and port logistics. Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs with wage-progression guarantees and Job Readiness Center alignment would also provide increased opportunities for residents in underserved communities along Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore. Additionally, tax incentives for turbine component manufacturing and subsea-cable operations at Virginia ports will localize supply chains and catalyze new local businesses.

¹ Offshore Wind’s $1.8 B impact on Virginia. (2024, September 30). City of Portsmouth Economic Development. https://www.accessportsmouthva.com/about-us/news-press/posts/offshore-wind-s-1-8b-impact-on-virginia

² Coastal Resilience Master Planning. (n.d.). Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/crmp/

³ Climate change risks. (n.d.). George Mason University | Virginia Climate Center. https://www.vaclimate.gmu.edu/climate-change-risks

⁴ Peifer, K., & Freedman, A. (2024, June 10). Most of Virginia’s major power outages are due to extreme weather. Axios; Axios Richmond. https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/06/10/extreme-weather-leads-to-more-outages-virginia

⁵ Future workforce needs for offshore wind in Hampton Roads. (2024). Hampton Roads Alliance. https://hamptonroadsalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Future-Workforce-Needs-Offshore-Wind.pdf

⁶ Economic Benefits. (2023). CVOW | Dominion Energy. https://coastalvawind.com/about/wind-energy/economic-benefits

⁷ Supply Chain Contracting Forecast for U.S. Offshore Wind Power – The Updated and Expanded 2021 Edition. (2021, October). Special Initiative on Offshore Wind. https://nationaloffshorewind.org/wp-content/uploads/SIOW-supply-chain-report-2021-update-FINAL.pdf

⁸ Potential Impact of the Development of the Offshore Wind Energy Industry on Hampton Roads and Virginia. (2020). Hampton Roads Alliance, & Magnum Economics. https://hamptonroadsalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Offshore-Wind-Economic-Impact-Report-092820-1.pdf

⁹ Janney, J. (2025, April 28). LS GreenLink breaks ground on $700 M tallest structure in Virginia. Virginia Business. https://virginiabusiness.com/ls-greenlink-breaks-ground-on-680m-tallest-structure-in-virginia/

¹⁰ Shiraishi, K., Sugiyama, T., Müller, A., & Kammen, D. M. (2025). Exploring offshore wind’s potential to enhance energy security in nations with limited land and fuel resources. Environmental Research Letters. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/adaed5

¹¹ Muller, S. (2024, August 5). New England’s offshore wind resource is a winter powerhouse. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://blog.ucs.org/susan-muller/new-englands-offshore-wind-resource-is-a-winter-powerhouse/

¹² Coastal Virginia offshore wind project overview. (n.d.) Dominion Energy. https://coastalvawind.com/about-offshore-wind.asp

¹³ Memija, A. (2024, October 17). Dominion Energy plans to add 3.4 GW of new offshore wind. OffshoreWIND.biz. https://www.offshorewind.biz/2024/10/17/dominion-energy-plans-to-add-3-4-gw-of-new-offshore-wind/

¹⁴ The Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). (n.d.). Virginia Energy. https://energy.virginia.gov/renewable-energy/documents/VCEASummary.pdf

¹⁵ Birds and offshore wind: Developing the offshore wind that birds need. (2025, January).Audubon Society. https://www.audubon.org/our-work/climate/clean-energy/birds-and-offshore-wind-report

¹⁶ Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind: Double Big Bubble Curtain Plan. (2024, May 3). Dominion Energy. https://coastalvawind.com/resources/pdf/cvowc-cmmp-dbbcplan-redactedfinal-508-opr1.pdf 

¹⁷ Evaluating impacts to fisheries [Offshore wind energy topic] (n.d.). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Fisheries. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/offshore-wind-energy/evaluating-impacts-to-fisheries

¹⁸ Addressing misinformation and protecting marine life in offshore wind development. (2024). Ocean Conservancy. https://oceanconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Public_Digital_Addressin_Misinformation640.pdf 

¹⁹ Statement on offshore wind energy and marine mammals. (2025). Marine Mammal Commission. https://www.mmc.gov/priority-topics/offshore-energy-development-and-marine-mammals/renewable-energy-development-and-marine-mammals/

²⁰ Public application: Volume 04 — Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind. (2021, April 19). Dominion Energy. https://coastalvawind.com/ 

²¹ The Environmental and Economic Benefit Connection Between Offshore Oil & Gas and Offshore Wind Energy. (2024). Conservative Energy Network. https://conservativeenergynetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/4-7-25-The-Environmental-Connection-Between-OG-and-OSW.pdf

²² The Virginia advantage: The benefits of growing Virginia’s offshore wind supply chain. (2018). BVG Associates. https://www.energy.virginia.gov/offshore-wind/documents/BVGA-20802-Report-r2-final-20191127%20(1).pdf 

²³ Jeanfreau, L. (2025, February 21). New Study Shows American Energy Technologies Are Ready to Meet Growing Demand—Offshore Wind Plays a Key Role. Oceantic Network. https://oceantic.org/new-study-shows-american-energy-technologies-are-ready-to-meet-growing-demand-offshore-wind-plays-a-key-role/ 

²⁴ Integrated Science Plan for Offshore Wind, Wildlife, and Habitat in U.S. Atlantic Waters.
(2024). Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative. https://rwsc.org/science-plan/

²⁵ Principles for a just transition in offshore wind energy. (2022, November). UPROSE, Rogue Climate, Taproot Earth, & Climate Justice Alliance. https://climatejusticealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/JustTransition-OffshoreWindEnergy.pdf