Proposed lease areas mark new wave of U.S. projects and collectively provide space for 18 GW of projects
For Immediate Release: April 30, 2024
Media Contact: Luke Jeanfreau | [email protected] | 504-302-8079
BALTIMORE — The Oceantic Network celebrates today’s announcement by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) of two new offshore lease sales in the Gulf of Maine and off the Oregon Coast. This morning, BOEM issued Proposed Sale Notices (PSNs) for nearly one million acres in the Gulf of Maine, enough to host 15 GW of projects, and just under 200 thousand acres off the coast of Oregon, the second on America’s West Coast and an area with the potential to power over a million homes.
These two new PSNs represent a potential 18 GW of clean, renewable energy and are the first of a dozen offshore wind lease auctions the Department of Interior announced last week during the Network’s 2024 International Partnering Forum (IPF), the largest offshore wind conference in the Americas. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland made the announcement during the conference’s Plenary Session and later that same day, Maine Governor Janet Mills took the stage to announce her state’s intention to secure up to 3 GW of offshore wind power generation in an upcoming solicitation round. The state simultaneously released a Request for Information seeking public input on the solicitation.
The following statement can be attributed to Liz Burdock, CEO of Oceantic Network:
“BOEM’s combined announcement solidifies two new regional markets for floating offshore wind, balancing the development of this industry sector across both coasts. New lease areas in Oregon will support a further buildout of the West Coast’s regional supply chain, adding strength to California projects. And in the Gulf of Maine, this new 15 GW potential will drive the creation of a floating offshore wind supply chain on the East Coast.”
Additional Information:
- Interior Department Proposes Offshore Wind Sales in Oregon, Gulf of Maine
- IPF Week Highlights Optimism, Growth for Industry Ahead
- Secretary Haaland Announces New Five-Year Offshore Wind Leasing Schedule
- 2024 IPF
For more information or to arrange an interview with the Network, contact Luke Jeanfreau at [email protected] or 504-302-8079.
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As a non-profit organization, the Oceantic Network’s driving purpose is to inform, coordinate, and mobilize human ingenuity, enterprise, and labor to take advantage of the urgent need to tap the vast offshore wind and renewable energy resources that lie in the world’s oceans. The collective, coordinated efforts of our 600+ members equip communities and nations to accelerate the transition to clean energy and create economic opportunities.
