BOEM Announces First-Ever California Offshore Wind Lease Sale at ACP’s WINDPOWER 2022 Conference

PROVIDENCE, R.I., October 18, 2022 – Today at the American Clean Power Association’s Offshore WINDPOWER 2022 conference and exhibition, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Amanda Lefton announced the final sale notice for the Department of Interior’s (DOI) first-ever offshore wind lease sale on America’s West Coast. The wind energy lease areas are in two regions on the Outer Continental Shelf off of the California coastline, covering 373,000 acres. The leases in the Morro Bay and Humboldt wind energy areas will generate at least 4.5 gigawatts (GW) of reliable, carbon-free power – enough to power 1.5 million homes and help meet both California’s goal of a zero emissions grid by 2045 as well as the United States’ goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030.

“Today’s announcement represents years of close coordination and engagement with the state of California, Tribes, ocean users, local communities and all interested parties to move us closer towards achieving the administration’s vision to fight climate change and realizing California’s clean energy future, while creating a domestic supply chain and good-paying union jobs,” said Director Lefton during her remarks at WINDPOWER.

“This historic announcement marks a significant milestone for offshore wind in this country and on the west coast. This shows what can happen when we tap into the abundant renewable energy resources we have across the U.S., including along our coastlines. ACP applauds Director Lefton and BOEM’s efforts to develop offshore wind lease sales like the one announced today as California and the country work to meet growing demand and ambitious clean energy goals,” said JC Sandberg, ACP’s interim CEO. “This lease sale reflects an all-of-government approach that brought together multiple federal and state agencies. It puts California on a path as a global hub for offshore wind technology that will foster thousands of good-paying American maritime and manufacturing jobs while boosting the domestic offshore wind supply chain.”

Earlier this year the Biden administration launched a floating wind turbine initiative that includes leasing enough deep-water acreage to support 15 GW of floating offshore wind capacity by 2035.