Pine Tree Offshore Wind has paused negotiations with the US state of Maine over a 144MW floating project in the Gulf of Maine.
The consortium behind Pine Tree, which comprises researchers from the University of Maine and an RWE-Diamond Offshore Wind joint venture, requested that discussions over an offtake contract between the state and the project be paused.
The consortium is pausing negotiations “due to recent shifts in the energy landscape that have in particular caused uncertainty in the offshore wind industry”, the state’s Public Utilities Commission wrote as it approved the request.
Pine Tree had previously requested an extension in the deadline for negotiations until 31 March, before seeking to pause them entirely.
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) designated Pine Tree as the operator for a research lease in the Gulf of Maine in August 2024 in a 15,000 acre area located 28 nautical miles off the coast of Maine.