The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on Tuesday will hold the first competitive auction for roughly 850,000 acres in the Gulf of Maine designated by the Biden-Harris administration for offshore wind energy development.
[RELATED: Biden Celebrates Offshore Wind ‘Progress’ Despite Industry’s Major Struggles, Cancellations…]
The eight areas up for lease sale lie on the Outer Continental Shelf off of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, and if fully developed have the potential to provide approximately 13 gigawatts of offshore wind energy — enough to power 4.5 million homes, according to BOEM.
Under President Joe Biden, the federal government has approved 10 commercial offshore wind projects, and has set a goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.
The 850,000 acres included in the Biden-Harris administration’s Final Sale Notice (FSN) represents approximately 120,000 acres less than what was initially proposed by BOEM in April, and excludes Lobster Area Management 1 (LMA 1) — federal waters in the Gulf of Maine critical to the state’s fishing industry.
The auction, slated to be held online beginning at 9 a.m. this Tuesday, comes two months after BOEM approved a separate offshore wind energy research lease which allows for the deployment of up to 12 turbines in the Gulf of Maine about 30 miles southeast of Portland.
[RELATED: Nation’s First Floating Offshore Wind Research Array Slated for Construction in Gulf of Maine…]
Any lease issued during Tuesday’s auction does not immediately authorize construction and operation of an offshore wind facility, but provides the right to submit project-specific plans that would then be subject to environmental, technical and public review prior to final approval.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="32110 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=32110">12 Comments
Last time they tried to hold an auction off our coast no one bid.
The big company that is trying to develop this un-recyclable windmill farm got Mills to sign a contract saying that even though the state won’t get any of the electricity Maine will pay up if the company doesn’t make the expected profit.
Such a wicked smaahhht Guv, eh?
God help us!
Every time they do something green the cost of my electricity goes up. 13 gigawatts is BS anyway, the largest nuclear power plant(s) only makes 5. Power could have been done deal with natural gas from Canada but the elites payoff wasn’t enough I guess. Wake up its never for the people, it’s always about them.
I hope Trump and the Republicans are elected and can stop this insanity in our precious Gulf Of Maine.
Trump can stop it with an executive action on day one .
We have to put an end to this green new scam nonsense .
The Biden Cabinet and his insider crew have made enough money from their green stocks .
They have screwed us enough . Time for a change .
Vote Republican . Vote Trump .
Any green power initiative proposed by this state is undoubtedly an “out-of-market” boondoggle. The biggest being the net metering program that has been in place since the genius regulators gave us deregulation in 2000. That’s when the government forced the utilities to sell all their generators. Except the MPUC discovered the utilities could not sell their (PPAs) power purchase agreements at anything resembling a profit thus resulting in stranded cost. When the 20 and 30 year contracts began to run out the regulators in their infinite wisdom gave us a new program called Long Term Contracts (LTCs). It was more out of market stranded costs under another name. To fool the public we’ll just rename it. When the legislators and regulators know they have a captive market, the ratepayer, they can “buy high and sell low”. In order for this idiotic program to work they have to connect somewhere. Those connecting to Maine will require a terminal and will once again require the utilities to pay out of market costs to make the projects economically viable. Another prime example of how stupid democratic voters are. Keep voting for politicians who give us programs that from day one are run at a loss. Any off shore wind off the NE coast always need public assistance to operate at a profit.
Want cheap energy? Reopen Maine Yankee.
And why are they always effing with our environment to bring electricity to Massholes?
Liars, https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/10/26/boem-finally-acknowledges-the-harm-caused-by-offshore-wind-farms/
Those who want wind and solar.should pay for in their electric bills. Those that do not want wind and solar should not pay.
OFFSHORE WINDMILLS KILL WHALES. HUNDREDS OF THEM. The vibrations drive them insane and they wash up on shore. Stop this now!!!! So sad…but not as sad as Democrats.
CO2 is plant food, not an enemy, the democrats Are the enemy of freedom,……
Watched part of Trump’s interview last night, he is not in favor of this and will cancel it. He also noted how many whales that have died since windmills started operated.