Statoil has been declared as provisional winner for the Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 6 for renewable energy in federal waters following its bidding offer of $42,469,725 for lease area OCS-A 0512.
Statoil New Energy Solutions executive vice-president Irene Rummelhoff said: “We are excited to have submitted the most competitive bid in a highly attractive project, Statoil’s first offshore wind lease in the US.”
The firm said that the New York offshore lease area could potentially accommodate over 1GW of offshore wind capacity. It expects to start phased development with between 400MW and 600MW.
Statoil will now study the seabed conditions, grid connection options and wind resources before developing the projects.
The US DOI also received bids from Avangrid Renewables, Dong Energy Wind Power, Innogy US Renewable Projects, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and wpd offshore Alpha.
US Interior Department Secretary Sally Jewell said: “This auction underscores the growing market demand for renewable energy among our coastal communities.”
The New York Wind Energy lease area comprises five full Outer Continental Shelf blocks and 143 sub-blocks.
BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper said: “We have seen robust competitive interest for this auction, as evidenced by 33 rounds of bidding – the most we have seen for any of our lease sales to date.
“BOEM will continue to work with the members of out New York Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force and the public on any future wind energy project proposed for this lease area.”
Till date, the BOEM has awarded 11 commercial wind leases which generated more than $16m in winning bids for more than one million acres in federal waters.
Image: A Map showing the New York Wind Energy lease area. Photo: courtesy of Statoil.
