On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump spoke out against ocean wind power and said he would halt development of the industry.

But proponents of offshore wind energy in Maine said that while they expect obstacles ahead, a single presidential administration is unlikely to derail the state’s long-term plans.

Diamond Offshore Wind CEO Chris Wissemann is clear-eyed about what a second Trump administration means for his industry.

“I think it’s inevitable that commercial-scale offshore wind power will slow down,” Wissemann said.

But he doesn’t expect Maine’s plans to build the first floating offshore wind farm in the United States to stop abruptly.

Diamond Wind, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corp., is the commercial partner of the state on a planned 10-turbine demonstration project in federally leased waters in the Gulf of Maine. This is the first step in the state’s plans to become a regional epicenter for a new floating offshore wind industry.

Even with a hostile federal government, Maine needs years and years of data collection and design work before seeking a permit for the network, Wissemann said. Developing ocean wind energy is a long process: the project would probably not be ready to start for at least six years.

“We fully recognize that the federal slowdown could change the pace at which we grow,” Wissemann said. But that doesn’t change anything in the company’s plans.

“Diamond Offshore Wind is 100% committed to completing our work on the research network and supporting Maine’s goals. We plan to continue our work with the state,” he said.

As a candidate, Trump said he would end offshore wind energy projects on the first day of his presidency. Francis Eanes, executive director of the Maine Labor Climate Council, said it’s still unclear how much of it is campaign rhetoric or a sincere commitment, but it’s clear that a policy change is future.

But the election result doesn’t change the reality that offshore wind is Maine’s best chance to achieve long-term economic and climate goals, Eanes said.

“This is still by far the best opportunity for the Northeast and Maine in particular, to develop large-scale clean energy, grow our coastal and inland communities with good union jobs and build a new industry for the 21st century,” he said. .

Maine has committed to purchasing 3 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2040. He still plans to build a specialized port on Sears Island to build and launch floating turbines, although it recently failed to secure a $456 million federal grant for that project.

Kathleen Meil ​​of Maine Conservation Voters said that to achieve the state’s goals, advocates must do a better job communicating the potential benefits of offshore wind energy to the public.

During the election, there was considerable misinformation in Maine and across the country about the cost of climate action, clean energy development and rising electricity costs, Meil ​​added. But it’s clear that concerns about spending weighed on voters worried about the cost of living.

“We need to connect with real people and hear the affordability concerns that we really care about and that are really valid, and continue to integrate them into the clean energy future we are building together,” he said. she declared.

Meanwhile, opponents of offshore wind have high hopes that the new administration will follow through on its threats against the industry.

In a statement, the New England Fisherman’s Stewardship Council said it hopes the government will delist unleased wind energy areas in the Gulf of Maine, New York and the Mid-Atlantic.

He also wants the new Trump administration to revoke the Biden-era commitment to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030.

“We hope his administration will seize this opportunity to put the citizens who operate America’s oldest commerce ahead of the foreign mega-corporations industrializing this country’s oldest natural resource: fishing,” the CEO said. organization, Jerry Leeman.

For its part, Gov. Janet Mills’ administration expects changes in federal energy and environmental policy. But the director of the Governor’s Office of Energy, Dan Burgess, said the exact nature of that change remains to be seen.

“The State of Maine will remain committed to reducing the cost of energy, diversifying its energy portfolio by pursuing more clean energy sources, creating jobs and growing the economy,” Burgess said in a statement .

Trump’s transition team did not respond to inquiries seeking clarification on its policy approach to offshore wind energy.

Maine Public’s Climate Desk is made possible by Androscoggin Bank, with additional support from Evergreen Home Performance, Bigelow Laboratory and Lee Auto Malls.