The Port of Virginia has become the first US East Coast port powered by 100 percent clean energy, achieving its clean energy goal eight years ahead of schedule. Today, the port is powering all its terminals with electricity from clean resources and accelerating its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2040.

John Larson, director of public policy and economic development at the power company Dominion Energy Virginia, has participated in thousands of meetings talking about the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind farm that the utility is building 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. Larson leads the work to advance the economic and workforce development necessary to support the project.

Sarens has been commissioned by Virginia International Terminals to receive and load out the monopiles and transition pieces for the 176 turbines, as well as the jackets on which the three substations and their corresponding topsides will be placed.

In another step by the Biden-Harris administration to support the growing momentum across America for a clean energy economy, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced the availability of its draft environmental review of wind energy areas offshore the U.S. Central Atlantic region.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment of wind turbine technicians is projected to grow 45% between 2022 and 2032 -- “much faster than the average for all occupations.” The beauty of this field is that you can get the training to be a wind turbine technician in a short period, and the median pay, as of 2022, was $57,320 per year.

The U.S. offshore wind industry is eying a brighter 2024, with work expected to start on several projects following a year marked by stalled developments and billions of dollars in write-offs.