The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has launched a consultation for two offshore wind areas off the coast of Oregon that could host 2.6 GW of capacity.
Over a 60-day public comment period that began August 15, BOEM held an intergovernmental task force meeting and several public meetings with the region’s fishing community.
The WEAs have water depths of about 1,300 meters, requiring the deployment of floating offshore wind turbines that can be manufactured domestically, the Business Network for Offshore Wind noted.
“The introduction of these new WEAs will benefit not just Oregon, but California and Washington, by attracting new investments in ports, vessels, and supply chain companies and delivering reliable power to the Western grid,” said Liz Burdock, founder and CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind.
Oregon plans to develop 3 GW of floating wind capacity by 2030 and is following progress made in California.
The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has agreed to streamline grid connection processes for wind and solar farms under new rules that prioritize projects that have secured permits and impose penalties for transmission operators that miss deadlines. The final ruling aims to reduce delays in grid connections that are stunting renewable energy growth. Developers now take several years to secure grid connections as transmission operators work through a backlog of projects.
More info www.reutersevents.com/renewables/wind
