The US government has launched a request for interest (RFI) to gather feedback from interested parties in offshore wind leasing opportunities in the Gulf of Maine.
It is the first step in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) commercial planning and leasing process to identify the offshore locations that appear most suitable for development.
Feedback from stakeholders, industry, Tribes, and other ocean users will help the department to gauge the scale of interest in the development of commercial wind energy leases in the Gulf of Maine.
It will also inform the department on the location and size of specific areas that could be included in (or excluded from) a future offshore wind energy lease sale, along with other planning considerations.
BOEM director Amanda Lefton said: “As we work to spur offshore wind development and deploy floating offshore wind technology nationwide, BOEM recognises the rich cultural heritage and ecological importance of the Gulf of Maine region, which is why we are using the best available science and traditional knowledge from ocean users and other stakeholders in our planning and leasing process.
“We are committed to a transparent, inclusive and data-driven process that avoids or minimises potential conflicts with marine life and ensures all ocean users flourish.”
Meanwhile, the BOEM has also launched a Request for Competitive Interest (RFCI) for the State of Maine’s application for a research lease into offshore energy technologies.
The application requests 9,700 acres on the Outer Continental Shelf to be used for a research array that would comprise up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144MW of renewable energy.
Commercial and other interested parties are invited to register any competitive interest in the area before the research application is progressed further.