Today, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the execution of the nation’s first floating offshore wind energy research lease. The lease area covers a little under 15,000 acres located 28 nautical miles offshore Maine on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf and could allow for the deployment of up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144 megawatts of renewable energy.

The research array will allow the State, the fishing community, wildlife experts, the offshore wind industry, and others to conduct in-depth studies and thoroughly evaluate floating offshore wind as a renewable energy source in the region. Research conducted on the array will evaluate its compatibility with existing ocean uses and assess its potential effects on the environment, supply chains, and job creation.

“Floating wind opens up opportunities to produce renewable energy in deeper water farther offshore.” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “Signing the Gulf of Maine research lease demonstrates the commitment by both BOEM and the State of Maine to promote a clean energy future for the nation. It is another example of a successful all-of-government effort to reach the Administration’s offshore wind energy goals and to combat the impacts of climate change.”

Information gathered from the research lease will inform responsible commercial floating offshore wind development in the future and allow BOEM and Maine to capitalize on innovative technology, while protecting local and national interests and industries.

“Clean energy from offshore wind offers an historic opportunity for Maine to create good-paying jobs, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and fight climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions,” said Maine Governor Janet Mills. “This lease between the State and BOEM to support the nation’s first research array devoted to floating offshore wind technology is the result of extensive engagement with stakeholders and communities across our state to establish Maine as a leader in responsible offshore wind, in balance with our state’s marine economy and environment.”

Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation’s first nine commercial scale offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of more than 13 gigawatts of clean energy — enough to power nearly 5 million homes. In that time, the Department has held five offshore wind lease auctions – including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. The Department also recently announced a schedule to hold up to 12 additional lease sales through 2028. On August 14, BOEM will hold an offshore wind lease sale for the Central Atlantic, auctioning areas offshore Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia that could generate up to 6.3 gigawatts of clean energy and power up to 2.2 million homes.

BOEM received an application from the State of Maine for a renewable energy research lease in October 2021. On March 20, 2023, BOEM issued a Determination of No Competitive Interest for the area identified in Maine’s application.

BOEM engaged with the State of Maine Governor’s Energy Office throughout the application review and lease development process to develop a lease that yields high-quality research on offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. On May 24, 2024, BOEM offered a research lease to the State of Maine after completing a Final Environmental Assessment and associated finding of no significant impacts.

As a research lease, the State of Maine or its designated operator will propose and conduct research regarding environmental and engineering aspects of the proposed project. This information will be made public and used to inform future planning, permitting, and construction of commercial-scale floating offshore wind projects in the region.            

Construction activity on the research array is not likely to occur for several years. The lessee is first required to submit a Research Activities Plan to BOEM, which will undergo environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act. Additional details on the timing of construction will become clearer as the permitting process progresses.     

Gazelle Wind Power (Gazelle), the developer of a next-generation floating offshore wind platform, and Tugdock, developers of the world’s first road-transportable floating dry dock known as the Tugdock Submersible Platform, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to co-develop a modular offshore wind assembly system, that is expected to dramatically drive down costs and increase production of floating offshore wind farms. 

Lucas Lowe-Houghton, Chief Revenue Officer at Tugdock, said, “This exciting partnership is an industry-first, representing the power of collaboration to unleash the full potential of innovation. This collaboration will unlock great opportunities for both partners as well as help to accelerate the floating offshore wind industry.”

The design of Gazelle Wind Power’s platform includes a revolutionary patented dynamic mooring system that eliminates pitch and balance movement in response to the external forces of wind, waves, and tide. The platform’s modular design allows for scalable and adaptable configurations, making it a more affordable and accessible solution for deep water deployment. Gazelle Wind Power is currently in discussions with a number of developers with the potential to secure in excess of 5GW of projects for delivery before 2035. 

The modularity of Gazelle’s components enables the offshore wind platform modules to be fabricated cost-effectively in shipyards and then transported to an assembly port, adjacent to a wind farm to be completed. The Tugdock Submersible Platform is a patented technology that supports the deployment of commercial-scale floating wind by providing a build and launch platform that overcomes port constraints. The structure combines a steel frame and patented airlift bags to act as additional buoyancy or as a submersible platform for lifting or launching heavy marine structures.  

 “Working with Tugdock, we have the ideal way to assemble our modular platform, using minimal port space. While the Gazelle platform possesses a naturally low draft, there are significant benefits to assembling the modules on the Tugdock platform, which doubles as the assembly fixture and launch method, speeding up platform assembly and getting our platform into the water in a safe, and cost-effective way. This partnership is driving the production rates up and costs down. Our vision is to be the benchmark for Floating Offshore Platforms across global markets and make a significant contribution to net-zero goals. This new collaboration is a significant step on that journey,” commented Jon Salazar, CEO of Gazelle Wind Power.  

The first project for the new partnership will be Italy’s largest offshore wind farm, the Molise Offshore Wind Farm project in the Adriatic Sea, where the combined technologies will help install 70 turbines, aiming to generate 1.05 GW of power. The Molise Offshore Wind Farm will cover a total area of 219 square kilometres, and the turbines will be located in waters spanning depths of a minimum of 88 metres to a maximum of 126 metres. The first platform is planned to be launched in January 2028. 

Shane Carr, CEO of Tugdock, said, “This pioneering partnership combines the advantages of two innovative modular technologies that complement each other perfectly. This represents a game-changing solution for developers and a major step forward for offshore renewable energy.”