US BOEM moves ahead with 765 MW floating wind project (US)

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued a Request for Interest (RoI) in a lease area requested by Trident Winds for its proposed 765 MW floating wind energy project in the Morro Bay, in federal waters offshore California (United States).



US renewable power project developer Trident Winds started negotiations with the city of Morro Bay in California to install around 100 floating wind turbines of 7-8 MW each off the city in September 2015 and filed a lease request with the BOEM in January 2016. In consultation with the State of California, BOEM has determined Trident Winds is qualified to hold an Outer Continental Shelf lease and now must determine whether it is appropriate to issue the company a lease on a non-competitive basis, or whether a competitive process is required. If there is competitive interest, BOEM will initiate the competitive leasing process. If no expressions of interest are received, BOEM will proceed with the non-competitive leasing process.



If developed, the project could help California to reach its renewable targets. The State aims to increase the share of renewable in the power mix from 33% to 50% by 2030 and to halve the consumption of petroleum by cars and trucks. In September 2015, the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS) was raised from 33% by 2020 to 50% by 2030 (including interim targets for 2024 and 2027).



To date, BOEM has awarded eleven commercial wind energy leases in federal waters off the Atlantic coast, including nine leases issued as a result of competitive lease sales (two leases in an area offshore Rhode Island-Massachusetts, two offshore Massachusetts, two offshore New Jersey, two offshore Maryland, and one offshore Virginia).