Shortening Off-Shore Wind Approvals
2 years is tough goal
A federal effort to spur offshore wind power now aims to guide developers through the process in about two years.
That's lightning speed for a process that in its play-it-by-ear initial run took almost a decade.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, in a recent speech, unveiled his `Smart from the Start' wind energy initiative for the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf to facilitate siting, leasing and construction of new projects, spurring the rapid and responsible development.
Even after initial steps to shorten the approval process taken months ago, a utility executive told me incredulously, that the word out of Washington was that the process was still expected to take seven years.
Now, Interior seems to have gotten the message that even its "improved" efforts in recent months still weren't good enough.
"Our `Smart from the Start' Initiative for Atlantic wind will allow us to identify priority Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) for potential development, improve our coordination with local, state, and federal partners, and accelerate the leasing process," Salazar noted. "If we are wise with our planning, we can help build a robust and environmentally responsible offshore renewable energy program that creates jobs here at home."
The accelerated leasing process is being simplified through a regulatory change, enabling leases to be issued in 2011 and 2012.
"This accelerated and focused approach to developing the nation's Atlantic wind resources will encourage investment while ensuring projects are built in the right way and in the right places," said Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich.
An expedited review process for large solar projects in the Southwest, covered extensively in this newsletter, appears to be the inspiration for much of this new process, Salazar said.
The state-federal task forces set up in eight of these states are identifying areas with generally bountiful wind energy and relatively fewer potential environmental and use conflicts than other offshore areas. Salazar also established the Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium with 11 coastal state governors earlier this year.
Under the `Smart from the Start' initiative, BOEMRE will work with state partners to identify WEAs off the coasts of a number of Atlantic states, including Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island and Massachusetts within the next 60 days.
One utility subsidiary with an interest in developing offshore resources is encouraged.
"Streamlining the leasing process by eliminating unnecessary steps is an important component in making offshore wind a commercially viable business," said Scott Jennings, president of PSEG Global. "This announcement shows that the Interior Department recognizes that a more certain and expedited process can help unlock the potential of America's offshore wind resources and that they are taking action to advance those efforts."
The potential success of the new program should be indicated soon. Requests for information from potential developers will be issued for these new areas in January.
This story first appeared in RenewablesBiz Daily and was written by its editor, Bill Opalca.
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