USA BOEM Announces 'Next Steps' in GOM Offshore Wind Leasing Process

In a statement posted on its website late Thursday, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the “next steps” in the competitive leasing process for offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

The BOEM said in that statement that it is issuing a Determination of Competitive Interest in two Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the GOM. It noted that the determination comes after an unsolicited request from Hecate Energy Gulf Wind LLC expressing interest in acquiring a commercial wind energy lease for WEA options C and D.  

“On July 29, 2024, BOEM published a Request for Competitive Interest (RFCI) in the Federal Register seeking feedback on Hecate’s unsolicited lease request,” BOEM highlighted in the statement.

“Invenergy GOM Offshore Wind LLC expressed interest in WEA options C and D. BOEM has deemed both Hecate and Invenergy to be legally, technically, and financially qualified to hold an OCS renewable energy lease in the Gulf of Mexico,” it added.

“As a result of this review, BOEM has determined that competitive interest exists in the RFCI areas,” it continued.

In the statement, BOEM said it will move forward with the competitive lease process and proceed to hold the next offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico in 2026. It pointed out that the next step in that process “will be to continue to analyze the other comments received in response to the RFCI and evaluate which portions of WEA options C and D, and other potential WEA options, are best suited for sale”.

The organization revealed that it will release draft WEAs for public input early next year.

“The Gulf of Mexico remains an attractive option for offshore wind energy development,” BOEM Gulf of Mexico Regional Director Jim Kendall said in the statement.

“We are excited about the future of this emerging sector in the region,” he added.

A statement posted on the U.S. Department on the Interior’s (DOI) website on September 5 revealed that the Biden-Harris administration had announced the approval of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project. The DOI statement highlighted that this is the nation’s tenth commercial-scale offshore wind energy project approved under President Biden’s leadership.

“With today’s approval, the department has approved more than 15 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind energy projects - equivalent to half of the capacity needed to achieve President Biden’s goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030,” that statement noted, adding that “projects approved to date will power 5.25 million homes”.     

According to the Energy Institute’s (EI) 2024 statistical review of world energy, which was released earlier this year, the U.S. had 148,020 megawatts of installed wind turbine capacity at the end of 2023. That figure marked a 4.5 percent year on year increase and 14.6 percent of global installed wind turbine capacity at year-end 2023, the review revealed.

The only nation with more installed wind turbine capacity at year-end 2023 was China, with 441,895 megawatts, the review showed. That represented 43.4 percent of global installed wind turbine capacity at year-end 2023, according to the review.

EI’s review outlined that the U.S. produced 429.5 terawatt hours of energy via wind last year. This was down 2.1 percent year on year, the review revealed. The only nation with more terawatt hours of energy produced by wind in 2023 was China, with 885.9 terawatt hours, the review highlighted.

Hecate Energy describes itself as a leading developer, owner, and operator of renewable power projects and storage solutions in the United States. The company has developed over 47 solar and energy storage projects exceeding 11.1 GW that are now owned and operated by utilities, independent power producers, and financial investors, Hecate notes on its site.

Invenergy states on its site that Invenergy and its affiliated companies develop, build, own and operate large-scale renewable and other clean energy generation, transmission and storage facilities in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Invenergy and its affiliated companies have successfully developed more than 32,000 megawatts of projects that are in operation, construction or contracted, including wind, solar, transmission infrastructure, and natural gas power generation and advanced energy storage projects, the company adds on its site.

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