About our Virtual Reources
Explore recordings, reference materials, and topic‑specific resources from our programming. For upcoming events, please visit our main homepage.
Port Development in Practice
Port Development in Practice is a learning series hosted by Oregon and California Sea Grant to explore lessons from Humboldt Bay’s ongoing port planning efforts. The series brings together coastal community members, Tribes, agency partners, and local industries to learn about approaches to engagement, local economic considerations, and regional connections that may be relevant for future port development conversations in Oregon’s port communities.
Recordings and Resources
- January 2026: Virtual Follow‑Up Presentation with Rob Holmlund
This virtual session builds on the in‑person Port Development in Practice panel held in Coos Bay on November 14. The event featured a presentation and Q&A with Rob Holmlund, Director of Development for the Humboldt Bay Harbor District. Rob revisited key themes from his November talk on planning for the proposed Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal and expanded on topics relevant to Oregon’s port communities. - November 2025: Perspectives From Humboldt Bay Meeting Notes
This in‑person panel, held at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, brought together speakers from the Humboldt Bay region to share lessons from their ongoing work planning for the proposed Humboldt Bay Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal. Panelists discussed early considerations related to community and Tribal engagement, environmental assessment, fisheries perspectives, and local economic and infrastructure planning. The session provided Oregon participants with an opportunity to hear practical insights from an active port development effort and consider how similar topics may arise in future conversations within Oregon’s port communities.
Ocean Renewable Energy Webinar Series
This Series explores the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of wave and offshore wind energy on the West Coast. Each session provides science‑based information to help respond to community and tribal interests and help build an informed understanding of ocean renewable energy development.
Webinar Recordings
- August 2025: Understanding Marine Mammal and Seabird Distribution in Oregon - Marine Mammal Institute Research
An overview of current research on marine mammal and seabird distribution off the Oregon coast and how these data can inform offshore wind planning. Presenters share early insights from the MOSAIC project, which uses visual surveys, acoustic monitoring, and whale identification tools to map species presence and seasonal patterns. The session also includes findings from the OPAL and HALO projects, providing a broader understanding of large whale occurrence and habitat use in the region. Together, these efforts help build essential baseline knowledge to support future management and clean energy decision‑making. - July 2025 - Monitoring Ecological Effects at PacWave: Oregon’s Wave Energy Testing Facility
An overview of ongoing efforts to understand the ecological conditions at PacWave, Oregon’s open‑ocean wave energy testing facility. Presenters share baseline findings from benthic surveys, sediment sampling, and visual assessment work designed to track species presence, abundance, and spatial patterns before wave energy devices are installed. The session also highlights research on potential electromagnetic field (EMF) effects and describes how these monitoring efforts help build the foundation for evaluating future ecological changes associated with wave energy testing and deployment. - June 2024 - An Introduction to Offshore Wind Community Benefit Agreements
The concept of community benefit agreements (CBAs) and their relevance to offshore wind development. Presenters from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment share examples of CBAs from renewable energy projects across the U.S., including early work in California. The session also provides an overview of how CBAs may factor into the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s proposed bidding credits for potential offshore wind energy leasing in Oregon.
Lunch & Learns
Informal mid‑day sessions that bring together subject‑matter experts, state agency partners, and public participants to explore key topics related to ocean renewable energy in Oregon.
The first series, hosted in fall 2025 by Oregon Sea Grant in partnership with the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, supported the Oregon Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap by providing space to learn about and discuss topics relevant to planning for potential offshore wind development on the West Coast. Learn more about the Oregon Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap. Recordings are available to support broader learning and public understanding.
Lunch & Learn Recordings
- Offshore Wind Transmission Planning
Key findings from a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and National Renewable Energy Laboratory study on transmission planning for West Coast offshore wind. Presenters discussed how various floating offshore wind transmission scenarios could help reduce energy costs and strengthen the resilience of the western grid. - California Offshore Wind Updates
Updates from state agencies and research organizations on current offshore wind planning efforts in California, including fisheries engagement, environmental research and monitoring, and community considerations. - Coastal Energy Resilience
Staff from the Oregon Department of Energy explore key questions related to coastal energy resilience, including how resilience is defined, major risks to utilities and consumers, challenges facing the current coastal grid, and the potential benefits and tradeoffs of adding new electricity sources—such as offshore wind—to Oregon’s energy system.