The Biden Administration has announced plans to auction two areas totalling 194,995 acres (789 km²) off the coast of Oregon for offshore wind development. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) states that these areas could generate over 3.1 GW of clean energy, enough to power about one million households.
The auction is scheduled for October 15, 2024, marking the administration’s sixth leasing round and second in deep Pacific Ocean waters. The two sites, located at Coos Bay and Brookings, are situated 18 and 32 miles offshore, respectively.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will conduct the auction, offering bidding credits to bidders who commit to community benefit agreements or make significant investments in workforce training and supply chain development. Bidders will also be encouraged to enter project labor agreements. Additionally, 18 leasing conditions were included to meet the State of Oregon’s requirements.
This auction follows a recent 6.3 GW leasing round for offshore wind sites in the central Atlantic, which generated $93 million for the federal government. Under Biden’s leadership, the DOI has approved the first nine commercial-scale offshore wind projects in the U.S. and held five offshore wind lease sales, including record-breaking sales off New York and the first-ever sales in the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico.
The administration is also advancing wind energy development in the Gulf of Maine. As of early 2024, the Biden administration scheduled additional offshore wind lease sales through 2028, approving over 13 GW of offshore wind projects since the announcement.