The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the final three wind energy areas (WEAs) in the Central Atlantic that have the potential to support offshore wind capacity between 4 GW and 8 GW. The three WEAs covering 356,550 acres are situated in relatively shallow water, off the coasts of Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware.
The first area called A-2, is 26 nautical miles from Delaware Bay and will cover 101,767 acres. The second area, B-1, is situated 23.5 nautical miles from Ocean City, Maryland, and is 78,285 acres in size. The third, C-1, lies 35 nautical miles from Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay, and it will cover about 176,506 acres.
In order to finalise the WEAs, BOEM partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science for development of an ocean planning model, which will help in reducing risks on other ocean users and delicate environmental resources.
In November 2022, BOEM had requested public comment on eight draft WEAs on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf offshore North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. Originally the Department of the Interior had identified 3.9 million acres in April 2022 and these eight draft WEA’s were a part of that.
REGlobal’s Views: The US has set a goal to achieve 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and the BOEM has been active in identifying and leasing areas for offshore wind development. However, the country needs to significantly ramp up its transmission capacity and supply chain capabilities to meet these targets.
