Arnold Schwarzenegger backs wind power for US West Coast

The University of Southern California’s Schwarzenegger Institute has published a new study that supports calls for large-scale wind farms to be built off the US West Coast.

The study – sponsored by the American Clean Power Association (ACP), Offshore Wind California (OWC) and The Energy Foundation – posits that installing 10GW of offshore wind capacity would generate resource cost savings of at least $1bn annually and create in excess of 200,000 job-years over the next twenty years.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the institute’s benefactor, said: “I have always said that California needs an all of the above energy strategy and there is no doubt that offshore wind is an important part of that portfolio.

“By deploying this clean energy resource, we can create thousands of jobs and meet our energy demands, all while reducing emissions and cleaning up our air. At the Schwarzenegger Institute, we are committed to finding solutions that reduce air pollution and climate change.”