To commemorate the country’s first-ever competitive lease sale for renewable energy in federal waters, U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell held a lease signing ceremony for the Wind Energy Area.
Last month Deepwater Wind New England won an auction for two areas offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts, totaling to 164,750 acres for offshore wind development.
The Wind Energy Area is located 9.2 nautical miles south of the Rhode Island coastline and has the potential to support 3,395 megawatts of wind generation.
Guests included U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Deepwater Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Tommy Beaudreau, and staff from BOEM’s Offices of Renewable Energy Programs and Strategic Resources.
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Offshore WIND staff, September 20, 2013; Image: doi