The Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) has submitted an application to the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to lease a site 48km offshore in the Gulf of Maine for the country’s first floating offshore wind research site in federal waters.
The State hopes to deploy a small-scale research array of 12 or fewer wind turbines on floating hulls designed at the University of Maine in a 4.5-square-km area.
Maine hopes that the project will advance UMaine’s patented technology and will foster leading research into how floating offshore wind interacts with Maine’s marine environment, fishing industry, shipping and navigation routes.
The area of the research site is smaller than initial projections and which represents approximately 0.04% of the Gulf of Maine.
It was selected following a public outreach process led by GEO, which included an analysis by the Maine Department of Marine Resources that helped identify areas that minimised known potential impacts on the fishing industry.
There is no specific timeline required for the application review by BOEM, which is separate process from the State’s work to date, but it is expected to take several years before all permitting is secured and construction could begin.
Governor Janet Mills said: “Maine is uniquely prepared to create good-paying jobs across the state and reduce our crippling dependence on fossil fuels through the responsible development of offshore wind technology.
“This small-scale research site 30 miles off the coast will become home to innovative technology developed here in Maine.
“The research project will help establish the best way for our state to embrace the vast economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind.
“Fundamentally, I believe that offshore wind and Maine’s fishing industry can not only coexist, but can help us build a stronger economy and a brighter, more sustainable future for Maine people.”
University of Maine president Joan Ferrini-Mundy said: “This small-scale research array is a significant next step in the evolution of the University of Maine’s patented floating offshore wind technology and our commitment to Maine’s future.”