Date set for first Gulf of Maine offshore wind lease sale

Image: Department of the Interior

In what could mark a major milestone for the development of U.S. floating wind technology, the U.S. Department of the Interior has announced that it will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale on Oct. 29, 2024, for eight areas on the Outer Continental Shelf off Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. If fully developed, says the department, these Gulf of Maine areas have a potential capacity of approximately 13 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, which could power more than 4.5 million homes.

The Oceantic Network notes that the eight lease areas are in waters too deep for traditional fixed-bottom wind turbines, requiring future projects to utilize floating offshore wind technology.

The announcement came hard on the heels of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announcing earlier this month that it had approved its final Environmental Assessment (EA) of the U.S. Gulf of Maine WEA (Wind Energy Area)

“The growing enthusiasm for the clean energy future is infectious. Today’s announcement – which builds on the execution of the nation’s first floating offshore wind energy research lease in Maine last month – is the result of years of thoughtful coordination between our team, the Gulf of Maine states, industry and the Tribes and ocean users who share our interest in the health and longevity of our ocean,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “The Biden-Harris administration’s unwavering commitment to building a vibrant and sustainable offshore clean energy sector is strengthening our fight against the climate crisis and building a healthier, more resilient planet for generations to come.”

“The upcoming Gulf of Maine offshore wind energy auction reflects our all-of-government approach for reaching the Biden-Harris Administration’s energy goals while combatting the climate crisis,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “Together, we can do our part to facilitate a new American industry while fostering job growth and promoting equitable economic opportunities for all communities.”

The area included in the Final Sale Notice (FSN) is approximately 120,000 acres less than what the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) included in its Proposed Sale Notice, which was announced earlier this year. BOEM prioritized the avoidance of offshore fishing grounds, sensitive habitats, and existing and future vessel transit routes, while still retaining sufficient acreage to support the region’s offshore wind energy goals.

The FSN for the Gulf of Maine auction includes details regarding the auction, provisions, and conditions of the leases, the lease form, information on bidding credits, criteria for evaluating competing bids, award procedures, appeal procedures, and lease execution. The FSN, says Interior, “includes several lease stipulations designed to promote the development of a robust domestic U.S. supply chain for floating wind and create good-paying union jobs, advance flexibility in transmission planning, minimize habitat impacts, and collect data on protected marine mammals.“

More details HERE