Offshore wind represents a potential source of substantial green energy, is well established in Europe and China, and has been proposed for various locations along U.S. coasts, yet not a single project has been successful thus far in this country. Proposed projects have been mired in controversy, which is complicated by the lack of clear regulatory processes, political uncertainty and conflict between state and federal policies.

Recently developed comprehensive offshore regulatory processes offer hope by reducing contentiousness in the planning of projects and facilitating the development of solutions that work for all stakeholders. Offshore wind can only succeed with strong federal leadership, more robust state-level efforts, and advances in technology.

For more information, please see Dr. Lawrence Susskind and Mr. Ryan Cook's article in the Virgina Environmental Law Journal, the Cost of Contentiousness.