Initiative to Speed Offshore Wind Development
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar launched a âSmart from the Startâ wind energy initiative for the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf to facilitate siting, leasing and construction of new projects, spurring the rapid and responsible development of the renewable resource. âThe Cape Wind lease is an historic milestone in Americaâs renewable energy future, but to fully harness the economic and energy benefits of our nationâs vast Atlantic wind potential we need to implement a smart permitting process that is efficient, thorough, and unburdened by needless red tape,â said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. âOur âSmart from the Startâ Initiative for Atlantic wind will allow us to identify priority Wind Energy Areas for potential developmentâŚ
NOIA Applauds New Offshore Wind Consortium & Office
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) strongly supports the responsible development of all offshore energy sources and applauds the announcement by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar of the establishment of both the Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium and the new Atlantic Offshore Renewable Energy Office in Virginia. âAll forms of energy are important to our economic and energy security,â said NOIA President Randall Luthi. The NOIA membership includes Cape Wind, which on April 28, 2010 received the first ever DOI approval for an offshore wind farm. Other NOIA member companies include those who are positioned to provide essential services to future offshore energy projects.
LNG Plant Bids Accepted
An international consortium developing two oilfields off Russia's Sakhalin island invited three international groups to bid for a tender to build the world's largest liquefied natural gas plant. The Sakhalin energy consortium said in a statement the three were French Bouygues Offshore, French Technic with U.S. Foster Wheeler, and Japan's Chiyoda Corp. with Toyo Corp. The Sakhalin energy consortium is led by Royal Dutch Shell. The $1 billion-plus contract involves construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant -- Russia's first -- with annual capacity of 9.6 million tons by 2006, the statement said. In addition to the LNG plant the contractor will design and build a crude oil export terminal and related facilities on the Sakhalin's southern coast.
