The offshore energy industry is at a critical crossroads. Completed projects are already producing real-world results, creating jobs, delivering clean power, reducing costs, and protecting the environment.
The path forward is far from smooth. The sector is facing turbulence, including federal stop work orders, permitting delays, market uncertainty, political attacks, and widespread misinformation. These challenges put at risk the progress made so far and test the resilience of an industry essential to America’s clean energy future.
At the same time, this moment presents a crucial opportunity. How the offshore energy sector responds now will determine whether it can fully realize its potential as a driver of economic growth, energy security, and environmental progress. Strengthening supply chains in steel, shipbuilding, and manufacturing, reforming permitting processes, and building durable bipartisan support are critical steps. Ensuring that decisions are guided by data, science, and real-world results rather than politics and misinformation will determine the sector’s trajectory.
In New York, these stakes are especially clear. Offshore wind is essential to keeping the grid reliable, affordable, and resilient. Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind together would power over 1 million homes and meet 10 percent of the combined electricity demand of New York City and Long Island. Fully permitted 25-year contracts with fixed prices offer stability for energy bills and help reduce price volatility. According to a 2025 Aurora Energy Research analysis, once New York’s first three offshore wind projects are operational, they could save New Yorkers $77 million during a single cold, high-cost month.
Halting these projects – which the federal government is attempting to do – would threaten grid reliability, with the NYISO’s Short-Term Assessment of Reliability warning of Downstate deficiencies if Empire and Sunrise do not come online as planned. Beyond energy, these projects are already supporting 7,500 U.S. workers, including nearly 2 million New York union labor hours, and are projected to generate more than $2.5 billion for New York’s economy by 2030.
These challenges and opportunities were explored in depth last week at the International Partnering Forum (IPF) 2026, where Julie Tighe joined fellow panelists Jen Brock, Raquel Pichardo, and Ed Hill Jr. for the session “Playing the Long Game: Preparing for the Next Chapter of Offshore Energy.”
Drawing on New York’s progress and the lessons of early projects like South Fork Wind, the discussion emphasized that offshore wind is indispensable to meeting climate mandates, strengthening grid reliability, and protecting consumers from volatile fossil fuel prices. As noted during the panel, offshore wind is not only a climate solution but also a reliability and affordability solution for New Yorkers—particularly during winter peak demand when downstate regions face the greatest risk.
Panelists also highlighted the growing domestic supply chain supporting offshore wind, the critical role of American union labor, and the importance of transparent science and community engagement in countering misinformation. Strong public support for renewable energy and offshore wind across coastal states underscores that the economic, environmental, and energy security benefits of these projects remain widely recognized.
The conversations at IPF made clear that offshore wind’s promise is no longer theoretical. It is already delivering jobs, investment, and clean energy—while positioning New York and the nation for a more reliable, affordable, and resilient energy system. The task now is to sustain that momentum, protect the progress underway, and ensure the full benefits of offshore wind are realized for communities across the country.
NYLCV was proud to be a strategic partner of Oceantic Network, which hosted International Partnering Forum 2026 in New York City from February 9 to 12, 2026. The conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders, labor representatives, and community advocates to exchange insights and identify actionable strategies for advancing a sustainable and secure energy future.