The federal government has granted Maine the country's first floating offshore wind research lease, covering about 23 square miles in federal waters. The lease, requested by the state in 2021, spans an area larger than the initial 15 square miles proposal, enabling comprehensive evaluation of floating offshore wind viability. The research array, located 30 miles southeast of Portland, will feature up to twelve turbines designed by the University of Maine and deployed by Diamond Offshore Wind, capable of generating up to 144 megawatts of renewable energy.
Their purpose is to facilitate needed research on floating offshore wind from the perspective of the state, the local fishing industry, oceanography experts, and those in the offshore wind sector. Maine's Democratic Governor Janet Mills, who signed a bill last year aiming for offshore wind to power half of the state's electric load by 2040, highlights this as a key step. "Clean energy from offshore wind offers a historic opportunity for Maine to create good-paying jobs, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and fight climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions," she said. The state has already selected a site for building, staging, and deploying turbine equipment, with full construction expected in the next few years.
Nationally, floating turbines are essential for states to harness offshore wind from deeper waters, potentially tapping into 2.8 terawatts of wind energy, sufficient to power 350 million homes. President Biden has made offshore wind central to his climate change strategy. Since his administration began, the Department of the Interior has approved nine offshore wind projects, combining for over 13 gigawatts of clean energy, sufficient for nearly 5 million homes. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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