Washington, August 1, 2013 —- As part of the Obama administration’s comprehensive plan to move the U.S. economy toward domestic clean energy sources and cut carbon pollution, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Tommy P. Beaudreau July 31 held the nation’s first competitive lease sale for renewable energy in federal waters.
Rhode Island and Massachusetts wind energy area.
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The provisional winner of the lease sale, which auctioned two leases for a wind energy area of 66,671 hectares offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts for wind energy development, is Deepwater Wind New England, LLC. When built, these areas could generate enough combined energy to power more than 1 million homes, the Interior Department said.
“When you think about the enormous energy potential that Atlantic wind holds, this is a major milestone for our nation,” Jewell said. |
BOEM will hold its next competitive lease sale for offshore wind on September 4, which will auction nearly 45,648 hectares offshore Virginia, and is expected to announce additional auctions for wind energy areas offshore Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey later in 2013 and in 2014.
Map showing offshore wind development area (Department of Energy)
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The July 31 auction is the result of a coordinated strategic plan to accelerate the development of offshore wind resources that was unveiled in February 2011. As part of a “Smart from the Start” program for expediting commercial-scale wind energy on the federal Outer Continental Shelf, Interior identified wind energy areas well-suited for commercial development with minimal impacts to the environment and other important uses. Efforts to spur responsible development of this abundant renewable resource are part of a series of administration actions to speed renewable energy development offshore and onshore by improving coordination with state, local and federal partners. |
As part of President Obama’s comprehensive Climate Action Plan, he challenged Interior to redouble efforts on the renewable energy program by approving an additional 10,000 megawatts of renewable energy production on public lands and waters by 2020.
Since 2009, Interior has approved 46 wind, solar and geothermal utility-scale projects on public lands, including associated transmission corridors and infrastructure to connect to established power grids. When built, these projects could provide more than 12,700 megawatts — enough energy to power more than 4.4 million homes, Interior said.
At the same time, under the administration’s “all-of-the-above” energy strategy, domestic oil and gas production has grown each year President Obama has been in office, with domestic oil production currently higher than any time in two decades. Natural gas production also is at its highest level ever; and renewable electricity generation from wind, solar and geothermal sources having doubled, Interior said. Combined with recent declines in oil consumption, foreign oil imports now account for less than 40 percent of the oil consumed in America — the lowest level since 1988.
“Each of these renewable energy lease sales are significant steps forward in the president’s all-of-the-above energy strategy and call for action on climate change,” Beaudreau said. “Harnessing the enormous potential of offshore wind will create jobs, increase our energy security and provide abundant sources of clean renewable power.