US plans seven potential offshore wind lease sales by 2025

The US plans to potentially hold up to seven new offshore wind lease sales by 2025, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced in a speech in Boston on Wednesday.

Haaland outlined the ambitious leasing plans intended to help meet president Joe Biden's goal of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 at the American Clean Power’s Offshore Windpower conference and exhibition.

The 2021-2025 leasing strategy includes potential lease sales by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in the Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, Central Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and off the coasts of the Carolinas, California and Oregon. A diagram of the plans can be viewed on BOEM’s website here.

Haaland said the timetable will increase certainty and transparency.

“We are working to facilitate a pipeline of projects that will establish confidence for the offshore wind industry,” BOEM director Amanda Lefton commented in a statement. She added that, at the same time, the agency wants to reduce potential conflicts with existing uses and marine life and will engage early with all stakeholders prior to identifying any new Wind Energy Areas.

BOEM is also considering lease stipulations such as lessee reporting requirements on efforts to minimise conflicts with other ocean users; mechanisms for project labor agreements; and investments in the US domestic supply chain. The New York Bight Proposed Sale Notice announced in June included this kind of stipulations.

In its work so far, BOEM has completed a review of the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for the 800-MW Vineyard Wind project, which is set to become the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the US. It is currently reviewing a further nine COPs and plans to complete the review of at least another six by 2025, achieving at least 16 COP reviews representing more than 19 GW of offshore wind capacity.

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