The federal government on Monday issued the nation’s first floating offshore wind research lease to the state of Maine, covering approximately 23 square miles (60 square kilometers) in federal waters.
The state had requested this lease from the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to establish a floating offshore wind research array, which could feature up to a dozen turbines generating up to 144 megawatts of renewable energy.
This array is planned for waters nearly 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Portland, Maine. The project will utilize floating offshore wind platforms developed by the University of Maine and deployed in partnership with Diamond Offshore Wind, though construction is not expected to begin for several years.
This research is considered crucial for advancing the ocean wind energy industry in Maine. Last year, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed legislation aiming for the state to procure enough energy from offshore wind turbines to power about half of its electric load by 2040.
The state has already identified a site to build, stage, and deploy the turbine equipment. In the coming decade, researchers from the University of Maine anticipate seeing turbine platforms floating beyond the horizon, anchored by mooring lines and standing over 700 feet (210 meters) tall.
Gov. Mills emphasized the potential benefits of offshore wind, stating it offers a historic opportunity for Maine to create jobs, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and combat climate change.
The state’s request for the lease dates back to 2021, and the granted area is larger than initially requested, allowing for a thorough evaluation of the compatibility of floating offshore wind with the state’s needs.
Floating turbines are crucial for capturing offshore wind energy in deep waters, where traditional turbines cannot be used.
President Joe Biden has made offshore wind a central part of his climate change strategy, and under his administration, the Department of the Interior has approved nine commercial-scale offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of more than 13 gigawatts, sufficient to power nearly 5 million homes.
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