How popular is offshore wind?

The first national (1) offshore wind farm began operations in December 2016, off the coast of Rhode Island. Within a decade from the first project, the industry exponentially continues to be pushed in technology, research, and scale. With increases in funding and focus in the space comes questions regarding how the public eye views offshore winds. A poll based out of Washington D.C. found that majorities of both political parties favored (2) offshore wind development both at a state and national level. Voters support incorporating more renewable energy into the energy grid and acknowledge that offshore wind contributes to making the U.S. more energy independent. Support is also shown for the increases in high paying jobs associated with the industry that will contribute to benefitting local community economies. Poll results released in March of 2026 from a Tarrance Group poll surveying 5,700 voters found that “74% of voters support offshore wind construction – up from 65% in January 2025 – and 84% favor incorporating more renewable energy into their state’s energy mix.” Notably, the poll indicated a 31 point swing in favor in 14 months among GOP voters (4).

References​​​

1. Block Island Wind Farm. Tethys. (2025b, May). https://tethys.pnnl.gov/wind-project-sites/block-island-windfarm#:~:text=The%20Block%20Island%20Wind%20Farm,30%20MW%20of%20installed%20compacity. 

2. New Polling Data: Bipartisan majority in politically diverse states supports U.S. Offshore Wind Energy. Turn Forward. (2025, February 25). https://turnforward.org/new-polling-data-bipartisan-majority

3. Jeanfreau, L. (2024, July 18). Poll confirms New Englanders understand the importance and benefits of offshore wind energy . Oceantic Network. https://oceantic.org/poll-confirms-new-englanders-understand-the-importance-and-benefits-of-offshore-wind-energy/#:~:text=72%25%20believe%20offshore%20wind%20will,will%20positively%20impact%20energy%20prices.

4. Turn Forward. Public Opinion on Offshore Wind: Findings from 13 Coastal States, March 2026 https://turnforward.org/resources/polling-round-3/