The US Department of the Interior has revealed that it would hold an offshore wind energy lease sale off southern Oregon.
The two areas to be auctioned on October 15, 2024, by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) could generate more than 3.1GW if fully developed, which could power approximately 1m homes.
The final sale notice, the last step before the sale itself, will be published on September 3. It includes two areas offshore Oregon – the first in Coos Bay consists of just over 247 sq km and is approximately 51 km from shore while the second in Brookings consists of 541 sq km and is around 29 km from shore.
BOEM will offer bidding credits for bidders who enter into community benefit agreements or invest in workforce training or supply chain development as well as require winning bidders to make efforts to enter into project labour agreements. A total of 18 lease conditions were added to address requirements from the State of Oregon.
Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Interior has approved the nation’s first nine commercial-scale offshore wind projects, held five offshore wind lease sales, including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts, and advanced the process to establish additional Wind Energy Areas in the Gulf of Maine.
Earlier this year, it announced a schedule of additional lease sales through 2028. So far, more than 13GW of offshore wind projects have been approved, enough to power nearly 5m homes.
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