First wind energy leases off North Carolina coast up for grabs

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WITN) - The first wind energy leases off the North Carolina coast will soon be up for grabs.

The Department of the Interior announced this morning that two lease areas, south of Bald Head Island, will be auctioned on May 11th.

The leases cover 110,091 acres in the Carolina Long Bay area that could produce at least 1.3 gigawatts of offshore wind energy. That’s enough to power almost a half-million homes.

“The Biden-Harris administration is committed to supporting a robust clean energy economy, and the upcoming Carolina Long Bay offshore wind energy auction provides yet another excellent opportunity to strengthen the clean energy industry while creating good-paying union jobs,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. “This is an historic time for domestic offshore wind energy development.”

The feds say the Carolina Long Bay offshore wind energy auction will allow offshore wind developers to bid on one or both of the lease areas within the Wilmington East Wind Energy Area. The two lease areas include similar acreage, distance to shore, and wind resource potential, according to the Interior Department.

The Biden Administration wants to have 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy online by 2030.