With slow progress for America’s offshore wind industry, director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Tommy Beaudreau recently reaffirmed the importance of these projects.

BOEM has only been in existence for about two years, working to create an offshore wind industry for the Department of the Interior's Smart from the Start initiative. Beaudreau clarified the importance the offshore program holds for the Obama administration at the recent Energy Ocean International conference in the Boston area, according to Renewable Energy World. Speaking for DOI Secretary Ken Salazar, Beaudreau said, “He said he wanted BOEM to lead and promote the development in an aggressive way but to continue doing it the right way.”

Beaudreau also offered a handful of key strategies to help get projects underway, advising to bring stakeholders together early, according to the source. These stakeholders include environmental leaders, state task forces, Native American groups, nearby residents and participants in the fishing industry. He additionally said states and industry must unite in order to garner greater support for initiatives. He added that BOEM needs to make an effort to get leasing “into the right hands,” by considering developer motivation to make sure that issued leases are pursued diligently.

While progress has been slow, with Beaudreau’s confirmation of support for the new offshore wind industry, it is expected that America will see advances in green energy initiatives on and offshore.