One Year Later: Offshore Massachusetts Wind Auction

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For Immediate Release: Friday, December 13, 2019
Contact: Justin Williams, (202) 465-8464, jwilliams@nullnoia.org

One Year Later: Offshore Massachusetts Wind Auction
The U.S. Needs a Regular and Predictable Offshore Wind Lease Auction Schedule

Washington, D.C. – National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik G. Milito issued the following statement marking the one-year anniversary of the most recent offshore wind lease auction:

“Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the $405.1 million wind lease auction offshore Massachusetts. The result showed that not only has offshore wind arrived in the U.S., but that it has a chance to soar. The level of participation of the companies – including companies that were traditionally oil and natural gas producers – exemplifies the ability of the OCS to support “all of the above” energy. However, the eight companies with more than $285 million in exit bids were left without alternative projects to invest in. To truly embrace this momentum, the U.S. needs a reliable and predictable roadmap of offshore wind leasing opportunities.

“The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has certainly had a productive 2019, and we look forward to what 2020 will hold. As BOEM continues its great work, NOIA encourages BOEM to develop predictable and regularly scheduled offshore wind lease auctions. A long-term pipeline of wind lease opportunities will provide the necessary points of reference to plan future investments.

“NOIA is excited about the future of offshore wind. With the right Federal policies, offshore wind will soar in 2020 and beyond.”

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) represents and advances a dynamic and growing offshore energy industry, providing solutions that support communities and protect our workers, the public and our environment.