Chart: Which US states are leading the way on offshore wind?

The United States has ambitious offshore wind goals, but so far relatively little to show for them. In fact, the country is not on track for the Biden administration’s goal of installing 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, according to a new report from the American Clean Power Association.

But that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. From New England to the mid-Atlantic, projects are powering on, breaking ground, and hammering out final details.

Eleven states have targets for offshore wind development, totaling 84 gigawatts to be completed over the next two decades. About 56 of those gigawatts are in some stage of development.

As of this year, just two states are receiving power from large-scale offshore wind installations: New York and Massachusetts. In March, the 132-megawatt South Fork Wind project, located off the coast of New York, became the first major offshore wind project to be completed. In late June, Massachusetts-based Vineyard Wind became the largest offshore wind project in the nation, generating 136 of its planned 800 MW.

Both states have a long way to go to meet their upcoming goals: 9 GW of offshore wind by 2035 for New York and 5.6 GW by 2027 for Massachusetts. Still, they’ve made more progress than other states.

Four of the states with offshore wind goals — including California, which aims to build 25 GW by 2045 — currently have no projects under construction or in advanced development, per the American Clean Power Association. Meanwhile, New Jersey has several gigawatts’ worth of projects in advanced development, though very little is under construction; earlier this month, the state received approval for its first offshore wind project, a 2.8 GW installation that will power 1 million homes.

Elsewhere, construction is underway. In Virginia, utility Dominion Energy started building a 2.6 GW project in May. Once complete in late 2026, the installation will bring the state nearly halfway to its goal of 5.2 GW by 2034. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut are all building out installations now, and the states entered into an agreement earlier this year to further accelerate efforts.

Though it’s been a tumultuous past year for the industry, offshore wind capacity in the U.S. more than quadrupled over the last 12 months. And activity in the sector isn’t going to slow down: The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management plans to hold four lease auctions for offshore wind development this year off the coast of Oregon and in the central Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Gulf of Maine — more auctions than the agency has held in any prior year and double last year’s.

The country — and states — may not be tracking toward their near-term goals, but it’s clear that offshore wind power is gaining momentum, even if slower than hoped.