About nine companies have been qualified to bid in the 7th competitive lease sale for development of an around 1.5GWof offshore wind capacity in the region.
The qualified bidders include Avangrid Renewables, Enbridge, Shell WindEnergy, Northland Power America, Wind Future, Outer Banks Ocean Energy, PNE Wind USA, Statoil Wind US and wpd offshore Alpha.
US Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates how our collaborative efforts with Federal, state and local partners over the past eight years have built a foundation to harness the enormous potential of offshore wind energy.
“The lease sale underscores the growing market demand for renewable energy and strong industry interest in meeting that demand.”
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.
BOEM acting director Walter Cruickshank said: “This is a significant milestone for North Carolina and our country as we continue to make progress on diversifying our nation’s energy portfolio.
“BOEM looks forward to overseeing a successful lease sale in March, to contribute to the region’s energy supply and assist local governments in achieving their goals for energy independence and job creation.”
Image: Nine companies will bid for rights to develop 1.5GW of offshore wind capacity offshore Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, US. Photo: courtesy of U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
