“The Outer Continental Shelf’s offshore wind potential is a tremendous asset and part of the Administration’s America First Energy Plan to make it easier for industry to do business here.” said Secretary Ryan Zinke. “And, now more than ever, we must use every tool at our disposal to ensure an energy-secure future – one that promotes jobs and is affordable, competitive and safe. Offshore wind will play a big role in this future.”
In order to take advantage of the rapid pace of technological development within the offshore wind industry, offshore wind developers have asked The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to adopt this practice which is standard in some European countries for permitting offshore wind energy projects. This would afford developers a degree of flexibility and allow them to make certain project-design decisions—such as which turbines to use—at the more commercially advantageous time later in the project-development process.
A webinar hosted by BOEM on draft guidelines for use of a ‘Design Envelope’ approach in construction and operations plans for offshore wind energy facilities in the US will be held on January 31st. For more information go to https://www.boem.gov/press01122018
For more information about BOEM’s renewable energy guidelines, visit their website at https://www.boem.gov/Guidelines-for-Renewable-Energy-Activities/.