In a press release on 26 July, BOEM said that the areas for which Hecate Energy filed a lease request, WEA Option C (74,113 acres) and WEA Option D (68,239 acres) , had been previously identified as potential Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) suitable for offshore wind leasing in 2021 and were different than the areas included in the proposed second Gulf of Mexico offshore wind lease sale.
BOEM has now issued a Request for Competitive Interest (RFCI), which will be published in the Federal Register on 29 July, seeking comments and specific input on whether there is competitive interest in commercial offshore wind development in the areas requested by Hecate Energy.
“If BOEM receives one or more indications of interest in acquiring a commercial wind lease from qualified entities, BOEM may decide to move forward with a competitive lease sale. If BOEM does not receive competing indications of interest from qualified companies, BOEM may move forward with a noncompetitive lease issuance to Hecate Energy,” BOEM said on 26 July.
Following the federal government’s decision to cancel the second lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico (for now) and start the process for Hecate Energy’s lease request, Sam Salustro , vice president of strategic communications at the US offshore renewable energy industry organisation, Oceantic Network, said the Gulf of Mexico was poised to become a major regional market of its own.
Salustro emphasised the region was the US offshore wind industry’s supply chain engine, providing the workforce, offshore expertise, vessels, and fabrication yards that are building out the first East Coast projects.
“Today’s decision moves offshore wind energy forward in a deliberate and sustainable manner for the region by creating pathways for key pioneering projects. This development enables critical support structures to advance, ensuring the development of a robust market that leverages the Gulf’s unique infrastructure and capabilities. Offshore wind’s momentum continues, with unrelenting state demand pushing the industry forward and every new job created building confidence and support in communities across the nation,” Oceantic Network’s Sam Salustro said.
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