The US Department of the Interior is assessing potential opportunities for offshore wind on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
The US Department of the Interior is assessing potential opportunities for offshore wind on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has published a Request for Interest (RFI) which is focused on the Western and Central Planning Areas of the Gulf of Mexico offshore the states of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama. Although the primary focus of the RFI is on wind energy development, BOEM is also seeking information on other renewable energy technologies.
To date, BOEM has leased approx. 1.7 million acres in the OCS for offshore wind development and has 17 commercial leases on the Atlantic, from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras.
The RFI has opened a 45-day public comment period to solicit interest and additional information on potential environmental consequences and other uses of the proposed areas.
As part of this process, BOEM has formed the Gulf of Mexico Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force to help coordinate planning, solicit feedback, and exchange scientific and process information. The task force comprises members representing federal, tribal, state and local governments from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.
Meanwhile, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is conducting an environmental review for a potential wind project offshore Virginia Beach.
Located approximately 23.5 nautical miles offshore Virginia, the project calls for the construction and operation of up to 205 turbines capable of generating up to 3000 megawatts of electricity.
The project proposal includes three offshore substations with one possible cable landfall location in Virginia Beach.
Dominion Energy already operates a research offshore wind project located near the proposed CVOW-C project, consisting of two test turbines in federal waters off the coast of Virginia Beach, which will provide data to help inform the commercial-scale project.
Meanwhile, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are jointly planning and reviewing renewable energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
USACE will provide BOEM with scientific and technical resources needed to evaluate offshore wind projects on the OCS. While the scope of the agreement covers all renewable energy activities in the Atlantic, the initial focus will be on the USACE supporting the review of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial project and the Kitty Hawk project, offshore North Carolina.
The agreement gives BOEM access to USACE technical expertise while planning new leasing in the Atlantic and reviewing National Environmental Policy Act documents, construction and operations plans, facility design reports and fabrication and installation reports.
