The Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management confirmed the first-ever offshore wind lease sale in the Pacific Ocean.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale Dec. 6, for areas on the Outer Continental Shelf off central and northern California, according to an Oct. 18 news release.
“Today’s announcement represents years of close coordination and engagement with the state of California, Tribes, ocean users, local communities and all interested parties to move us closer toward achieving the administration’s vision to fight climate change and realizing California’s clean energy future, while creating a domestic supply chain and good-paying union jobs," BOEM Director Amanda Lefton said in the release. "BOEM remains committed to ensuring transparency and active engagement with stakeholders throughout the post-leasing process.”
BOEM will offer five California OCS lease areas that total roughly 373,268 acres with the the capacity to produce more than 4.5 GW of offshore wind energy, power more than 1.5 million homes and support thousands of new jobs, the release reported.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl announced the agreement to advance areas off the central and northern coasts for offshore wind projects in a May 25, 2021, news release. The Morrow Bay 399 Area was identified to support three gigawatts of offshore wind on roughly 399 square miles of the coastline.
“Developing offshore wind to produce clean, renewable energy could be a game changer to achieving California’s clean energy goals and addressing climate change – all while bolstering the economy and creating new jobs,” Governor Gavin Newsom said in the May 2021 release. “This historic announcement, which could provide clean power for up to 1.6 million homes over the next decade, represents the innovative approach we need for a clean energy economy that protects the coasts, fisheries, marine life and Tribal and cultural resources we value so much as Californians.”
“The demand and momentum to build a clean energy future is undeniable. I am proud of the teams at the Interior Department that are moving forward at the pace and scale required to help achieve the president’s goals to make offshore wind energy, including floating offshore wind energy, a reality for the United States,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in the October release. “Today, we are taking another step toward unlocking the immense offshore wind energy potential off our nation’s west coast to help combat the effects of climate change while lowering costs for American families and creating good-paying union jobs.”
