US explores offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico

The government has opened a public consultation on over 730,000 acres proposed for wind energy development offshore Texas and Louisiana

The US Department of the Interior has proposed opening up more than 730,000 acres off the Gulf of Mexico for offshore wind development. The first area is located 24 nautical miles off the coast of Galveston, Texas, while the second is 56 nautical miles off the coast of Lake Charles, Louisiana. These preliminary wind energy areas were selected from an initial call area of 30mn acres announced in October last year, following geospatial assessment by government agencies the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Boem) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The areas were chosen to reduce impact on commercial and recreational fishing, maritime navigation, military activities, marin