Federal officials said Wednesday they are considering leasing a large amount of offshore land for wind projects about 24 nautical miles off the coast of Galveston.
If developed, the wind farm would cover 546,645 acres — a larger area than the city of Houston — which Bureau of Ocean Energy Management officials say could produce enough electricity to power about 2.3 million homes .
A second project was also proposed about 56 nautical miles off the coast of Lake Charles that would cover 188,023 acres. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management officials said the second project could produce enough electricity for 799,000 homes.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) officials said this is still early in the process and the proposed wind energy range is still a draft. They solicit public comments on the proposed area and leases on their website. They will practically hold two town halls on the proposals on August 9th and 11th.
BOEM officials said it is up to states and wind developers to determine whether the power generated would be connected to ERCOT or the neighboring east coast link.
The announcement is part of an initiative by the Biden administration to help develop 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, a staggering increase from the 42 megawatts of electricity generated by the only two offshore wind farms currently operational nationwide are. Both of these projects are in state waters – and there are currently no projects in federal waters.
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Another 15 projects are in the permitting phase, and eight states have targets to procure a total of 39,298 megawatts by 2040, according to the US Department of Energy. One megawatt is enough to supply around 200 households with electricity on a hot summer’s day.
According to a study by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, wind energy is strongest along the Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi and Brownsville, but tapers off as it reaches Florida.
Winds on the Gulf Coast are still not as strong or as consistent as those off the East Coast, where existing offshore wind farms are located, said Michael Matthews, US representative for the World Offshore Wind Forum, which promotes wind energy worldwide.
“It’s not fantastic,” Matthews said of the wind in the Gulf in an October 2021 interview. “It’s okay, it’s good for offshore wind, but it’s nothing like the North Sea in Europe or the Northeast (US).”
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However, the Gulf is attractive to wind developers because of its existing offshore infrastructure, Matthews said.
Soliciting comments on draft leases is part of the first of four phases in offshore wind energy development. In the second phase, the leases will be sold and more detailed environmental impact studies will be carried out. the third is site ratings; and the fourth is construction and operation. It can take about 10 years from the initial phase of offshore wind development to the commissioning of wind turbines.
Offshore wind development plans in the Gulf are lagging behind plans along the east coast. Offshore wind power leases have already been put up for sale in North Carolina, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.
This is an evolving story, check back for updates.
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