Updates coming for US offshore wind regulations
By:
Tom Russell
13/01/2023
DOI
The Department of the
Interior (DOI) has announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
(BOEM) will publish a proposed rule to update regulations for wind energy
development on the US Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The proposed reforms
are estimated to save developers approximately $1 billion over a 20 year
period.
According to DOI, the new regulations aim to streamline overly complex
and burdensome processes, clarify ambiguous provisions and enhance compliance
provisions in order to decrease costs and uncertainty associated with the
deployment of offshore wind facilities.
The proposed rule contains eight major components, including:
• Eliminating unnecessary
requirements for the deployment of meteorological buoys
• Increasing survey
flexibility
• Improving the
project design and installation verification process
• Establishing
a public Renewable Energy Leasing Schedule
• Reforming BOEM’s
renewable energy auction regulations
• Tailoring financial
assurance requirements and instruments
• Clarifying safety
management system regulations
• Revising other
provisions and making technical corrections
To date, BOEM has conducted 11 auctions and manages 27 active commercial
leases. This includes a record-breaking sale in the New York Bight and
the first-ever sale offshore the U.S. West Coast in California. I
By 2025, the Department plans to potentially hold up to four additional
offshore lease sales and complete the review of at least 16 plans to construct
and operate commercial, offshore wind energy facilities, which would it
claims represents more than 22 GW of energy.
A notice of proposed rulemaking will publish in the Federal Register in
the coming days for a 60-day comment period.