The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), part of the US Department of the Interior (DoI), has announced three final wind energy areas (WEAs) with the potential to generate 4–8GW of renewable power.
The three WEAs are located off the coasts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
They were developed after engaging with and receiving feedback from the states' governments, local residents, First Nations, ocean users, federal government partners and other members of the public.
The three areas total 356,550 acres. The first, known as A-2, will occupy 101,767 acres and is located 26 nautical miles (nm) from Delaware Bay.
The second area, B-1, covers 78,285 acres and is located 23.5nm offshore Ocean City, Maryland.
The third, C-1, will occupy around 176,506 acres and is located 35nm from Chesapeake Bay, Virginia.
BOEM director Liz Klein stated: “BOEM values a robust and transparent offshore wind planning process, which requires early and frequent engagement with tribal governments, the Department of Defense, Nasa, other government agencies and ocean users.
“We will continue to work closely with them, and all interested stakeholders, as we move forward with our environmental review.”
The three sites are located in comparatively shallow water. More locations in deep water areas can be identified for future leasing by conducting additional studies.
BOEM collaborated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science to develop an ocean planning model to finalise the WEAs.
The federal agency developed the model using data on natural resources, ocean industries, energy generation and areas of natural security activities to identify regions with high potential to generate wind energy.
The model will minimise impacts on other ocean users and sensitive environmental resources.
In July 2023, the DoI announced plans to hold an offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico.
The lease area will generate 3.7GW of clean power to meet the needs of 1.3 million homes.
