The federal government is proposing eight areas in the Gulf of Maine as possible sites for commercial offshore wind farms — six of which are located off Massachusetts. The proposed lease areas cover about 1 million acres and have the potential to generate 15 gigawatts of energy, enough to power five million homes.
This map from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management shows eight proposed sites where it may eventually solicit bids from commercial offshore wind developers.
The proposed lease areas cover about 1 million acres and have the potential to generate 15 gigawatts of energy, enough to power five million homes, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said Tuesday. In choosing the lease sites, BOEM said it wanted to avoid offshore fishing grounds and transit routes for ships. The eight proposed sites represent about half of the 2 million acres that BOEM chose as its"final wind energy area" for the Gulf of Maine, which the agencyThe areas exclude Lobster Management Area 1, which is home to popular fishing grounds for the state's lobster fleet.
Members of the public have until July 1 to comment on the draft lease areas announced Tuesday. The federal government is then expected to issue final lease areas later this summer and then auction them this fall. Even if a lease is issued, developers will have to secure the proper permits before any wind farm construction can begin.
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