LOCK ISLAND, RI - JUNE 13: The Block Island Wind Farm off the coast of Block Island, RI is pictured on Jun. 13, 2017. | Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images The US wants to use offshore wind farms to collect valuable data on climate change and ocean health. Renewable energy giant Ørsted recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), agreeing to help the agency gather data in US waters leased to the company.