USA: BOEM to Determine Interest in West Coast Offshore Wind Development

As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to create American jobs, cut carbon pollution, and develop domestic energy sources, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a request to determine whether there is competitive interest in leasing an area offshore Oregon that Principle Power, Inc. has proposed for a pilot-scale floating wind energy project.

BOEM must assess whether there are other parties interested in developing commercial wind facilities in the same area in order to determine whether it is appropriate to issue a lease on a non-competitive basis, or whether a competitive process is required.

The proposed WindFloat Pacific Project, which would be located about 16 nautical miles west of Coos Bay, Oregon in about 1,200 feet of water, is designed to generate 30 Megawatts (MW) of electricity from five “WindFloat” units, each equipped with a 6 MW offshore wind turbine. The proposed lease area covers about 15 square miles. In addition to inquiring about competitive interest, BOEM is also seeking public comment on the proposal, its potential environmental consequences, and the use of the area in which the proposed project would be located.

“Today’s announcement represents an important step forward in the President’s all-of-the-above energy strategy as we seek to facilitate renewable, clean energy generation off America’s West Coast,” said BOEM Director Tommy P. Beaudreau. “We will work closely with the state of Oregon and stakeholders to share information and resolve issues in order to make responsible wind energy development in federal waters a reality.”

The Windfloat Pacific Project is the latest in a series of lease initiatives BOEM has undertaken to support offshore wind energy development. BOEM has issued four lease approvals on the Atlantic Coast: two non-competitive (Cape Wind in Natuckett Sound and an area off Delaware) and two competitive (Massachusetts-Rhode Island and Virginia). The competitive lease sales generated $5.4 million in high bids for 277, 549 acres on the U.S. Continental Shelf. Combined, these areas could generate enough renewable energy to power 1.7 million homes. Additional competitive auctions for wind energy areas offshore Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts will be held over the next year.

Press release, September 30, 2013; Image: nrel