The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has selected Avangrid Renewables as the preliminary winner of auction for 122,405 acres off the coast of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for wind energy development.
Iberdrola company Avangrid, which is the provisional winner, has made a highest bid of $9,066,650 for the 1.5GW North Carolina offshore wind lease auction.
Wind Future, Statoil Wind US, and wpd offshore Alpha also participated in the lease sale.
US Interior department Secretary Zinke said: "The success of this lease sale reflects the continued interest of coastal communities to develop their offshore energy resources.
“Renewable energy, like offshore wind, is one tool in the all of the above energy toolbox that will help power America with domestic energy, securing energy independence, and bolstering the economy. This is a big win for collaborative efforts with state, local, and private sector partners."
Earlier, BOEM said that about nine companies have been qualified to bid in the 7th competitive lease sale for development of the offshore wind capacity in the region.
Based on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s estimates of 3MW per km2, the lease area has a potential to generate 1,486MW of electricity, required to power more than 500,000 homes.
Beginning from about 24 nautical miles from shore, the Kitty Hawk lease area extends 25.7nm in a general southeast direction.
The BOEM has already launched six competitive lease sales for more than one million acres in federal waters which have generated more than $58m in high bids.
Image: The US completed auction for wind energy development off the coast of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Photo: courtesy of Department of Energy/U.S. Department of the Interior.