Abstract

With the systemic depletion of nonrenewable resources, developed countries have been forced to turn inwards for solutions to the predicted energy crisis. In the United States, one of the solutions has come in the form of offshore wind. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, eighty million acres in the Gulf of Mexico have been opened for leasing, to be used to host offshore wind turbines. While this has been deemed a practical solution, recent events have raised the question of whether all impacts regarding marine ecosystems were considered prior to development. By studying the only pre-existing US wind farm, the Block Island Wind Farm, in conjunction with European wind projects, there may be a hypothetical model for the future, but a plan of this magnitude has never been introduced in US waters. If the future of offshore wind in the Gulf of Mexico aims to have positive implications on the natural environment, the model of a standard wind turbine needs to be thoroughly evaluated and potentially redesigned. In addition, finding a set of compromises between drilling management, ecosystem sciences, and coastal communities could help secure a foundation for future plans with less damage to the environment. This will hopefully be the first step in securing mutually beneficial usage of marine habitats for energy production in the Gulf of Mexico