US to Sell Offshore Wind Farm Leases

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to hold first ever competitive lease sales in federal waters south of Rhode Island & Massachusetts on July 31, 2013.

Citing a U.S. Department of Interior release, Reuters report that BOEM will auction commercial wind energy leases to 164,750 acres located about 9.2 nautical miles south of Rhode Island.

According to a report recently released by the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the North Lease has the potential for installed capacity of 1,955 megawatts (MW), and the South Lease, 1,440 MW. Together, the Interior Department consider these areas could support enough electricity to power more than 1 million homes.

Source: Reuters