BOEM Issues First Floating Offshore Wind Energy Research Lease to Maine

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the execution of the nation’s first floating offshore wind energy research lease. The lease area covers a little under 15,000 acres located 28 nautical miles offshore Maine on the US Outer Continental Shelf and could allow for the deployment of up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144 megawatts of renewable energy.

The research array will allow the State, the fishing community, wildlife experts, the offshore wind industry, and others to conduct in-depth studies and thoroughly evaluate floating offshore wind as a renewable energy source in the region. Research conducted on the array will evaluate its compatibility with existing ocean uses and assess its potential effects on the environment, supply chains, and job creation.

“Floating wind opens up opportunities to produce renewable energy in deeper water farther offshore,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “Signing the Gulf of Maine research lease demonstrates the commitment by both BOEM and the State of Maine to promote a clean energy future for the nation. It is another example of a successful all-of-government effort to reach the Administration’s offshore wind energy goals and to combat the impacts of climate change.”

Information gathered from the research lease will inform responsible commercial floating offshore wind development in the future and allow BOEM and Maine to capitalize on innovative technology while protecting local and national interests and industries.

“Clean energy from offshore wind offers a historic opportunity for Maine to create good-paying jobs, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and fight climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions,” added Maine Governor Janet Mills. “This lease between the State and BOEM to support the nation’s first research array devoted to floating offshore wind technology is the result of extensive engagement with stakeholders and communities across our state to establish Maine as a leader in responsible offshore wind, in balance with our state’s marine economy and environment.”

Map of the research array lease BOEM has offered to Maine as of May 24, 2024. See the FAQs below for more information on the lease location. (Image credit: BOEM)

Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation’s first nine commercial-scale offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of more than 13 gigawatts of clean energy—enough to power nearly 5 million homes. In that time, the Department held five offshore wind lease auctions—including a record-breaking sale offshore in New York and the first-ever sales offshore on the Pacific Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. The Department also announced a schedule to hold up to 12 additional lease sales through 2028. On August 14, BOEM held an offshore wind lease sale for the Central Atlantic, auctioning areas offshore Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia that could generate up to 6.3 gigawatts of clean energy and power up to 2.2 million homes.

BOEM received an application from the State of Maine for a renewable energy research lease in October 2021. On March 20, 2023, BOEM issued a Determination of No Competitive Interest for the area identified in Maine’s application.

BOEM engaged with the State of Maine Governor’s Energy Office throughout the application review and lease development process to develop a lease that yields high-quality research on offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. On May 24, 2024, BOEM offered a research lease to the State of Maine after completing a Final Environmental Assessment and associated findings of no significant impacts.

As a research lease, the State of Maine or its designated operator will propose and conduct research regarding the environmental and engineering aspects of the proposed project. This information will be made public and used to inform future planning, permitting, and construction of commercial-scale floating offshore wind projects in the region.

Construction activity on the research array is not likely to occur for several years. The lessee is first required to submit a Research Activities Plan to BOEM, which will undergo environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act. Additional details on the timing of construction will become clearer as the permitting process progresses.

More information about the research lease can be found on BOEM’s website and Maine’s website.

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