US to hold first offshore wind lease auction in Gulf of Maine in October

The US Department of the Interior (DOI) will hold its first offshore wind energy lease auction for the Gulf of Maine on 29 October 2024. The auction will offer leases for eight areas off the coasts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, with the potential to generate 13 GW of power, enough to supply 4.5 million homes.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) reduced the available acreage by 120,000 from the initial proposal to avoid disrupting fishing grounds, sensitive habitats, and navigation routes. The auction will also focus on fostering a domestic supply chain for floating wind technology, creating union jobs, and ensuring environmental protection.

US DOI Secretary Deb Haaland highlighted the administration’s commitment to offshore clean energy as part of the broader fight against climate change. The auction follows the execution of the first floating offshore wind energy research lease in Maine in September 2024.