Posted on December 12, 2022
Network applauds strong auction that also raised tens of millions for critical offshore wind supply chain development
The Business Network for Offshore Wind, the leading national organization working to accelerate offshore wind energy deployment and build a dedicated supply chain, applauded the federal government for propelling the U.S. floating offshore wind industry forward with a strong California lease auction.
The historic auction, conducted by the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) over two days, is the first offshore wind lease sale off America’s West Coast and first that will require floating turbine technology to develop. Overall, BOEM generated $757 million in revenue for five leases (full list here) on the Outer Continental Shelf off central and northern California, and was the second largest auction in terms of total funding. This lease auction is an important milestone toward meeting both the Biden Administration’s goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and 15 GW of floating offshore wind by 2035 as well as California’s goal of 25 GW by 2045—the most aggressive state goal to-date. With today’s completed lease sale, which also raised tens of millions allocated for floating supply chain development, the U.S. will have a premier opportunity to develop a robust floating wind turbine supply chain that can compete on the global stage.
The five lease areas total approximately 373,268 acres and have the potential to generate at least 4.5 GW of offshore wind energy, power over 1.5 million homes, and support thousands of new, well-paying jobs.
The following statement can be attributed to Liz Burdock, founder and CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind:
“The future is floating and today represents a significant milestone for the U.S. offshore wind industry as it builds toward the Biden Administration’s goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and 15 GW of floating offshore wind energy by 2035. By tapping into the vast wind resources along our country’s Pacific Coast, we can cement the United States as a global leader in floating offshore wind technology and supercharge our deployment of clean, affordable, and reliable wind power. While these lease sales mark an important moment for floating offshore wind in U.S. waters, industry and our public stakeholders must quickly build a strong domestic supply chain to support the new industry and advance the port and transmission infrastructure necessary to ensure market readiness.”
For more information or to arrange an interview with the Network, contact Sam Salustro at sam@offshorewindus.org or 414-405-4134.
The Business Network for Offshore Wind is the largest non-profit organization dedicated solely to building a robust offshore wind supply chain and expanding adoption of offshore wind energy. It advances the industry through collaboration, education, and innovation, including the International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF), the leading offshore wind conference in North America, and the OSW Market Dashboard. Learn more at offshorewindus.org.
