Charley, your source has a graphic that claims California could get 100% of its electricity from offshore wind by 2050, raising the question: California will put its economy at the mercy of the weather? What happens when there are a few days of calm (yes, it happens) - the world's 5th-largest economy shuts down?

Of course not, it will continue to burn natural gas. And that's exactly why offshore wind farms are being built by the world's biggest oil companies. Isn't it?

Thanks for bringing this information to our attention.  While I am sure that the stakeholder engagement process in the case of the Bridlington fishery was effective, I am not so confident that the same will be true in the case of Maine and the apparent conflict between the lobster and wind industries in Maine.

I think there may be a few reasons: 1) the division between state and federal waters creates the impression that the wind industry can do anything it wants as long as they are outside the three mile limit.  That is not true as at least the power cables need to come ashore somewhere through the fishing grounds.  Despite the fact that the cables would be buried, the lobster industry uses trawls for scallop harvesting in the winter. 2) The Maine lobster industry is under pressure from other interests, e.g. whale conservation.  3) The lobster industry is being encouraged to adopt new technology for which they do not feel ready, i.e. use of traps without floating buoys. 4) The lobster industry has the means to exclude the wind industry from shore facilities in the state. 

The Governor of the State of Maine is trying to bring the two sides together.  But, the issues are far from settled. It certainly is to be hoped that she succeeds. I, for one, would hate to see Maine miss the opportunities for both much needed electricity and jobs from the wind power industry.