US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has revealed an ambitious new five-year schedule of offshore wind leasing rounds, aiming for up to 12 lease sales by 2028.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is set to conduct future lease sales in various regions, including the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, and offshore waters of US territories. The schedule entails four lease sales in 2024, one each in 2025 and 2026, followed by two in 2027, and concluding with four in 2028.
Under the current Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has conducted four lease auctions and greenlit over 10GW of capacity.
Speaking at the International Partnering Forum conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, Secretary Deb Haaland emphasized the administration's commitment to offshore wind development, stating, “The Biden-Harris administration, led by our Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, has built an offshore wind industry from the ground up after years of delay from the previous Administration.”
Haaland underscored the multifaceted benefits of offshore wind projects, including cost reduction for consumers, combating climate change, job creation, and ensuring economic opportunities for all communities.
She added, “Our offshore wind leasing schedule will provide predictability to help developers and communities plan ahead and will provide the confidence needed to continue building on the tremendous offshore wind supply chain and manufacturing investments that we've already seen.”
The announcement marks a significant stride towards bolstering renewable energy infrastructure and accelerating the transition to a sustainable energy future in the United States.
