BOEM Officializes Two Offshore Areas

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced it has identified two areas for offshore wind deployment in the Gulf of Mexico.

A double offshore project

BOEM hopes that these two projects will produce enough clean energy for nearly 3 million homes. Thus, the discovery is in line with the goal of theBiden-Harris administration. The goal is to deploy 30GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030.

The first wind energy zone is located 24 nautical miles off the coast of Gaveston and will power 2.1 million homes. The second is located 56 nautical miles off the coast of Lake Charles and will supply 740,000 homes. These areas have been reduced from their draft version to address Department of Defense and Coast Guard concerns.

The definition of wind energy zones is a matter of consultation between BOEM, the states and the coastal communities. This joint work minimizes conflicts with other ocean uses according to Amanda Lefton, BOEM director. The various stakeholders are also seeking to minimize the environmental impact of the implementation of offshore wind power.

A political impulse

Under the Biden administration, the first large-scale offshore wind projects are being developed in the United States. This is being achieved through billions of dollars in private investment and record lease sales. The development of this industry will allow Americans to benefit from cleaner and cheaper energy.

In addition, the growth of offshore wind will be accompanied by the creation of thousands of well-paid jobs. The deployment of offshore wind turbines will also require significant investments. These will concern new energy supply chains, but also shipbuilding or services in the United States.

Following the definition of the zones, the next steps in the competitive leasing process will take place. This will involve BOEM publishing a notice of proposed sale with a 60-day public comment period. In addition, the organization is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to build an ecosystem-friendly ocean model.