The US Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have proposed two new offshore wind auction areas off the coast of Oregon and in the Gulf of Maine.
The two sales could generate some 18GW of energy, according to the US federal government.
“As we move forward with offshore wind energy in Oregon and the Gulf of Maine, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management remains dedicated to close collaboration with our government partners and key stakeholders,” BOEM director Elizabeth Klein said.
“We’re excited to unveil these proposed sales and emphasize our commitment to exploring the potential for offshore wind development from coast to coast.”
The launch is the first in a five-year lease schedule, and the announcement comes a week after the federal government laid out a five-year blueprint for offshore wind lease auctions across the United States. The plan could see as many as 12 separate auctions conducted across the next five years.
The area in the Gulf of Maine would include eight separate leases, and BOEM is proposing to conduct simultaneous auctions for each of them.
The department is seeking comment on providing bidding credits to bidders that commit to supporting workforce training programs or supply chain development, or a combination of both, as well as a credit for a fisheries compensatory mitigation fund.
In Oregon, the government has proposed two lease areas covering some 194,995 acres, the first in the Coos Bay Wind Energy Area (WEA), and the second in the Brookings WEA.
The proposal is seeking comment on similar biddings credits for workforce training and supply chain development, this time for floating technology needed for the deeper waters of the US west coast.
“Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation’s first eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects. Today’s announcement represents another stride in our commitment to building a greener energy future while creating jobs and supporting families,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said.