US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has announced a new five-year schedule of offshore wind leasing rounds, which includes up to 12 lease sales by 2028.
The future lease sales by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management are anticipated in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific and waters offshore of the US territories. Four will take place this year, one each in 2025 and 2026, two in 2027 and four in 2028.
The Department of the Interior has held four lease auctions since the start of the current Biden-Harris administration and approved more than 10GW of capacity.
Secretary Deb Haaland told the International Partnering Forum conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, today: “The Biden-Harris administration, led by our Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, has built an offshore wind industry from the ground up after years of delay from the previous Administration.
“As we look toward the future, this new leasing schedule will support the types of renewable energy projects needed to lower consumer costs, combat climate change, create jobs to support families, and ensure economic opportunities are accessible to all communities.
“Our offshore wind leasing schedule will provide predictability to help developers and communities plan ahead and will provide the confidence needed to continue building on the tremendous offshore wind supply chain and manufacturing investments that we’ve already seen.”