Wind Energy – BOEM
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has just announced a second round of offshore Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the Gulf of Mexico.
The four WEAs have the potential to produce enough clean, renewable energy to power more than three million homes.
– The first WEA (Option J) totals 495, 567 acres and is located approximately 47.2 miles off the coast of Texas.
– The second area (Option K) is totals 119, 635 acres and is located approximately 61.5 miles off the coast of Texas.
– The third WEA (Option L) is located approximately 52.9 miles off the coast of Texas and totals 91,157 acres.
– The fourth WEA (Option N) is located approximately 82 miles off the coast of Louisiana and totals 56,978 acres. WEA Option N is being recommended as a final WEA based on potential economic viability due to its proximity to the existing Lake Charles lease area.
In public stakeholder meetings and comments, offshore wind developers requested BOEM offer more acreage in the GOM east of WEA I for leasing.
In its decision memorandum identifying the WEAs, BOEM noted that a potential GOMW-2 sale (combined with GOMW-1) would offer sufficient acreage for leasing to allow for robust development to help meet the state of Louisiana’s goal of 5 GW of offshore wind.
