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The US Department of the Interior has announced two proposals for offshore wind energy auctions off the coast of Oregon and in the Gulf of Maine.
The two sales proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have the potential to generate more than 18 GW of offshore wind energy, enough to power more than six million homes.
”Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation’s first eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects. Today’s announcement represents another stride in our commitment to building a greener energy future while creating jobs and supporting families,” said US Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland.
”We’re taking decisive action to catalyze America’s offshore wind industry and leverage American innovation to provide reliable, affordable power to homes and businesses, all while addressing the climate crisis.”
The proposed sales reflect a multi-year planning process that has included robust engagement with Tribes, local communities, federal and state agencies, ocean users, and stakeholders to balance the complex social, ecological, and economic factors. BOEM’s strategic partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science has enhanced this process and incorporated the best available ocean resource information to inform wind energy areas. In identifying these areas, BOEM prioritized avoidance of offshore fishing grounds and identification of vessel transit routes, while retaining sufficient acreage to support the region’s offshore wind energy goals. These efforts are designed to set an informed foundation to deconflict multiple ocean uses in areas of future offshore wind energy development.
”As we move forward with offshore wind energy in Oregon and the Gulf of Maine, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management remains dedicated to close collaboration with our government partners and key stakeholders,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein.
”We’re excited to unveil these proposed sales and emphasize our commitment to exploring the potential for offshore wind development from coast to coast.”
BOEM will continue to work through its Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Forces, which include representatives from federal, state and local agencies and Tribal governments, to coordinate on potential lease sales and support ongoing stakeholder engagement processes on broader offshore wind considerations — for example, state-led development of strategic roadmaps on offshore wind, which can help inform the multi-year process for proposed projects.
Gulf of Maine
The first-ever offshore wind energy auction in the Gulf of Maine Wind Energy Area would include eight lease areas offshore Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, totaling nearly one million acres, which have the potential to generate approximately 15 GW of clean, renewable energy and power more than five million homes. |
