US announces offshore wind leasing schedule through 2028, finalizes Gulf of Maine area

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced a schedule for up to 12 potential offshore wind energy lease sales through 2028, in Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, and territorial waters.

According to Interior, the new offshore wind leasing plan features the following schedule:

2024 Central Atlantic, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, and Oregon 

2025 Gulf of Mexico 

2026 Central Atlantic 

2027 Gulf of Mexico and New York Bight 

2028 California, a U.S. Territory, Gulf of Maine, and Hawaii 

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, within the Interior Department, produced a visual-format schedule showing more detail on the estimated time range for each round of leasing.

To date, BOEM has held 12 offshore wind competitive lease sales resulting in the issuance of at least 26 leases. 

In support of planned leasing activity, BOEM recently finalized its designation of a Wind Energy Area (WEA) in the Gulf of Maine, capable of supporting 32 gigawatts of generation. The Gulf of Maine WEA covers about two million acres offshore Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, ranging from approximately 23 to 92 miles off the coast.

BOEM plans to hold a lease auction for sites within the Gulf of Maine WEA later this year.