b'THE OFFSHORE WIND ROLLER COASTER PUSHES ON IN THE GULF OF MEXICOWHEN IS AN AUCTION NOT AN AUCTION?By Tad Thompson, AJOTSeptember 2023 | Published in AJOT Issue #757When no auction bids came through at less than a decade agoBOEM held the Aug. 29 deadline to buy the rights toan auction off the coast of Massachusetts develop two wind farm sites off the Texaswhere only two of the four areas received coast, it was startling that no bids arrived.bids. Three years later, those passed-over One bid was received for a Gulf site off theareas went for a combined $405 million, Louisiana coast. making those of us who were early to the This development was particularly star- OSW (offshore wind) industry wish we had tling to Texas seaports which were expect- pooled our couch change and purchasedward. This is big news. This end-of-session ing to gear up as supply points for massiveone. Oh, the resale value.effort between legislative leaders and the offshore construction efforts. Theres no question in my mind that thegovernorwillspeedthestatestransition After this developed Aug. 29, the Balti- Gulf will play an integral role in offshoreto a clean energy economy and reinforce more-based Business Network for Offshorewind,justasitalreadyhasthroughthethe important role public policy plays in the Wind, released this announcement: Today,growing pool of well-established firms whonew energy future.the Bureau of Ocean Energy ManagementhavesharedtheirexpertiseinoffshoreThoseofuswhohaveworkedinoff-(BOEM) conducted the first offshore winddevelopment,manufacturing,andmuchshore wind for a decade or more know that lease auction in the Gulf of Mexico, result- more.Infact,Networkanalysisofmorethis week wasnt the first tough one on our ing in a $5.6 million bid for the Lease Areathan 1,600+ contracts in the U.S. marketroller coaster ride to building this industry offthecoastofLakeCharles,Louisianashows that 23% are already going to Gulfto its full potentialnor will it likely be the from RWE Offshore U.S. Gulf, LLC. firms. last. Supply chain capacity issues, soaring Liz Burdock,the president and CEO ofThe Gulf has been the center of Ameri- interest rates, and inflation are all factors The Business Network shared the followingcan energy innovation for decades and thatthat continue to challenge the individuals statement on Sept. 1. isnt going to change. andcompaniesworkinghardeveryday When we created the Network a decadeWeve seen that commitment first-handto move our country toward a cleaner and ago, we knew establishing the U.S. offshorefrom our Network members. And while it ismoreaffordableenergyfuture.Butwhat wind market would be a roller coaster-likedisappointing that our Texas members willfun would a roller coaster ride be without experience. have to wait a little while longer for offshorethe drops that take you to the next, thrilling And this week has been quite the ride. wind in their own backyard, it will eventuallyhigh point?While this weeks results of the Gulf ofhappen. (Making us wish once more thatMyadvice?Buckleupandkeepyour Mexico auction were not what so many ofwe had pooled couch change.) eyesonthehorizonbecausebeforeyou us had hoped to see, it still marked a stepAs for the roller coaster ride that is theknow it, well have dozens of projects in the forwardinthelongjourneythatiscon- U.S. offshore wind market, the week endedwater,manufacturingfacilitieshumming verting that regionand the country as aon a high with California moving a Central- with workers, and a thriving supply chain.wholeto clean energy. izedProcurementforoffshorewindand In fact, history is repeating itself. In 2015other diverse clean energy resources for-26 Back to Contents'