Coastal and Great Lakes states account for nearly 80% of U.S. electricity demand, and the winds off the shores of these coastal load centers have a technical resource potential twice as large as the nation?s current electricity use. With the costs of offshore wind energy falling globally and the first U.S. offshore wind farm installed off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island in 2016, offshore wind has the potential to contribute significantly to a clean, affordable, and secure national energy mix. To support the development of a world-class offshore wind industry, the U.S. Department of Energy has been supporting a broad portfolio of offshore wind research, development, and demonstration projects since 2011 and released a new National Offshore Wind Strategy jointly with the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2016.