Washington (DC) — Today, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland unveiled a five-year plan for offshore wind leasing that will significantly expand areas available for development of clean electricity on all coasts. This came in a wave of offshore wind announcements from both the Departments of Energy and Interior to set a clear path forward for a truly national clean energy industry that will benefit far more communities with reliable, domestic power and good-paying jobs.
The announcements, shared at the International Partnering Forum (IPF) conference in New Orleans, include a five-year leasing schedule with 12 potential lease sales in new areas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and off the coasts of U.S. territories. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy announced new investments and a report, Pathways to Commercial Liftoff, that outlines a path to successfully achieving scale in the U.S. offshore wind market and the many policy tools for addressing current challenges. Secretary Haaland also announced the final Renewable Energy Modernization Rule, which will facilitate the safe and efficient development of offshore wind with improvements to the lease auction and project permitting processes, as well as increased transparency and certainty for parties interested in offshore wind development.
“We are in the midst of the biggest year yet for offshore wind, and it’s clear there are many more big years to come. The Interior’s five-year leasing schedule unlocks the power of offshore wind for far more U.S. communities, including first time lease sales in offshore Hawaii and a U.S. territory,” said Stephanie McClellan, Turn Forward’s Executive Director. “In addition, BOEM’s Renewable Energy Modernization Rule is a critical piece of the policy puzzle as it will help improve permitting processes, leasing and auction designs, and public engagement pathways. Thanks to today’s announcements, offshore wind energy is even better positioned to provide reliable, clean power to many more communities across the U.S. and its territories, create good-paying jobs, and spur economic investment for decades to come.”
The administration’s announcements are the most recent sign of progress for U.S. offshore wind energy. This year, the first commercial-scale offshore wind project came online and BOEM has already approved two new offshore wind projects, Sunrise Wind and New England Wind, and four offshore wind lease sales are expected, in the Central Atlantic, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, and Oregon.
Turn Forward is an independent, non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to advancing an ambitious vision for American offshore wind power that meets today’s climate, economic, equity, and environmental challenges.
For media inquiries, please reach out to avery@turnforward.org