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This case study examines the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) for the Block Island Wind Farm, the first operational offshore wind farm in the United States. Developed by Deepwater Wind (later acquired by Ørsted), the project focused on improving electricity reliability and environmental quality for the town of New Shoreham by connecting the island to the mainland power grid for the first time.

This fact sheet provides a comprehensive overview of the global offshore wind energy sector as of early 2016, contrasting the established European market with the emerging industry in the United States. It details the technical advantages of offshore wind over onshore wind, current installation capacities, key market players, and the economic and environmental impacts of the transition.

As of 2016, Europe dominated the global offshore wind market, with the UK, Germany, and Denmark leading in installed capacity. The United States, while possessing vast potential (over 4,000 GW), was in the early stages of deployment with its first commercial project at Block Island. The document highlights the technical advantages of offshore wind—such as stronger winds and proximity to coastal population centers—and notes the significant job creation potential in the EU sector.

A sign-on letter dated October 22, 2015, from a coalition of environmental, business, and public officials to President Obama, urging the federal government to make offshore wind a central part of the United States' clean energy strategy, specifically along the Atlantic coast.