The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced it has finalised four new Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the Gulf of Mexico as part of the US government’s goal of deploying 30GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030.
These zones could support offshore wind projects with the potential to produce enough clean, renewable energy to power more than three million homes. The announcement follows the inaugural Gulf of Mexico offshore wind lease sale earlier this year.
“Creating an offshore wind industry in the Gulf of Mexico will take time and partnership. BOEM is pursuing another offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico due to continued industry interest and feedback from our partners and key stakeholders,” said BOEM director Elizabeth Klein.
“BOEM will continue to work with the Tribes, other government partners, coastal states, ocean users, and local communities as we advance our work in a manner that seeks to responsibly develop offshore areas while minimizing potential conflicts with other ocean uses and marine life in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Before finalizing the WEAs, BOEM collaborated with NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science to build a model that analyzed the entire Gulf of Mexico ecosystem to identify and minimize potential conflicts with marine resources and ocean users. BOEM also incorporated feedback from Tribes, other government agencies, ocean users, and others to help identify potential offshore locations that appeared most suitable for offshore wind energy development. The four WEAs are:
Option J: 495,567 acres approximately 47.2 miles off the coast of Texas, with the potential to support projects that could power 2.1 million homes.
Option K: 119,635 acres approximately 61.5 miles off the coast of Texas, with the potential to support projects that could power 508,200 homes.
Option L: 91,157 acres approximately 52.9 miles off the coast of Texas, with the potential to support projects that could power 387,450 homes.
Option N: 56,978 acres approximately 82 miles off the coast of Louisiana with the potential to support projects that could power approximately 242,000 homes.
The next steps in BOEM’s renewable energy competitive leasing process include issuing a Proposed Sale Notice with a 60-day public comment period.