Report highlights potential for wind power in the Gulf of Mexico
In Lousiana, BIZ New Orleans reported that a group of researchers recently released a new report examining the growth potential for wind in the Gulf of Mexico, including estimates of revenue from federal offshore wind lease bids, rents and operating fees.
The report, “Winds of Change: Navigating the Gulf of Mexico’s New Energy Frontier,” was created by the Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and commissioned by Restore the Mississippi River Delta and the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, also known as Port Fourchon.
On August 29, 2023, the Department of the Interior held the first offshore wind energy auction for the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in RWE Offshore US Gulf winning the right to develop a wind farm in the 102,480-acre area offshore Lake Charles with its $5.6 million bid. Officials estimate the area has the potential to generate approximately 1.24 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity and power nearly 435,400 homes, according to the report.
