US issues floating lease for wind research to Maine by Reuters

(Reuters) – The Biden administration on Monday issued an offshore wind lease to the state of Maine for a small project that will demonstrate floating turbine technology off the U.S. East Coast.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

US President Joe Biden has championed offshore wind as a key pillar of his climate change agenda. His Department of the Interior has set a goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 15 GW of floating capacity by 2035.

Wind turbines that float on the surface of the ocean are an emerging technology needed for projects off the coasts of California, Oregon and Maine, where the water depth precludes the use of standard, fixed equipment.

BY NUMBERS

The lease area covers 9,700 acres (3,920 hectares) and is 28 nautical miles (52 kilometers) from shore.

The area could host up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines that could generate about 144 megawatts of electricity.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Construction of the research array won’t happen for several years, the Interior Department said.

The lease will allow researchers to gather information to inform future commercial floating offshore wind developments.

The Interior Office of Ocean Energy Management is expected to hold an auction for a commercial offshore wind lease in the Gulf of Maine later this year.

KEY QUOTE

“Floating wind opens up opportunities to produce renewable energy in deeper waters, farther from shore,” bureau director Elizabeth Klein said in a statement. “The signing of the Gulf of Maine Research Lease demonstrates the commitment of both BOEM and the State of Maine to advancing a clean energy future for the nation.”