The US Department of the Interior has announced two proposals for offshore wind energy auctions off the coast of Oregon and in the Gulf of Maine. The two sales proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have the potential to generate more than 18GW of offshore wind energy.
The first-ever offshore wind energy auction in the Gulf of Maine Wind Energy Area would include eight lease areas offshore Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, totalling nearly one million acres, which have the potential to generate approximately 15 GW of clean, renewable energy. BOEM is proposing to conduct simultaneous auctions for each of the eight lease areas using multiple-factor bidding.
The proposed lease sale in Oregon includes two lease areas totalling 194,995 acres — one in the Coos Bay Wind Energy Area and the other in the Brookings Wind Energy Area. Along with the proposed lease sale, BOEM has released its draft environmental review of potential impacts associated with offshore wind energy leasing activities for public review and comment.
