Possibility of Offshore Wind Energy Approaches in Morro Bay

Offshore wind energy has been discussed in Morro Bay since 2022. Lots of locals do not approve of the offshore wind energy project and have protested against it. Back in January 2025, over 200 concerned locals protested the impacts that would result from the construction of offshore wind. One of the protesters told KSBY, “It’s just a bad idea in all aspects, both ecological and economic, to erect this thing 20 miles off our ocean.” 

Those who support the offshore wind energy project say that it would help combat climate change. Representative Salud Carbajal has shown support for this project. He told KSBY, “We must move forward with those offshore wind projects because they’re going to help us reach our renewable goals and address climate change, which we are seeing in our country and our communities through fires, droughts, and what have you.” The electricity produced by the project would power over 1 million to 3.5 million homes and help support California’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2045.

Members of the REACT Alliance, who started these protests, said they plan to hold more events like this in the future. “We hope the administration ends offshore wind. We don’t think it’s the way to go,” one of the REACT members told KSBY. REACT is a grassroots organization started on the central coast to fight the building of offshore wind farms. REACT stands for Responsible Energy Adaptation for California’s Central Coast.

American Clean Power is a group that represents offshore wind developers. They released a statement in response to these protests, saying, “As California’s demand for electricity continues to grow, offshore wind remains critical to diversifying the energy mix in pursuit of a safe and resilient power grid while bolstering jobs across the state. Californians have consistently shown their support for offshore wind as an important component of the state’s clean energy goals.”

However, on April 27, 2026, a major shift happened in the project. Ocean Winds, which owns the project off Morro Bay, voluntarily agreed to end its federal lease in a deal announced by the U.S. Department of the Interior, according to The Independent. Salud Carbajal is upset with this decision, and he called the deal a “backwards decision” and a “sabotage to the Morro Bay Wind Project.