Blow to Biden as offshore wind auction in Gulf of Mexico fails to stir interest

The Biden administration's first offshore wind auction in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in only one lease being awarded out of three, raising concerns about the viability of offshore wind in the region and the need for government involvement in its development.

theguardian.com

Relevant topic timeline:

8/29/2023

First US offshore wind auction in Gulf of Mexico attracts one winning bid

The Biden administration's first offshore wind development auction in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in a single winning bid of $5.6 million, indicating limited demand for clean energy in a region known for oil and gas production.

8/29/2023

The U.S. government hoped companies would want to build wind farms of…

Despite the opportunity to generate more renewable energy and create jobs, no firms bid on the newly opened offshore wind farm leases in the Gulf of Mexico near the Texas coast, leading to speculation that Texas' antagonistic political climate towards renewable energy may have played a role.

8/29/2023

The first US offshore wind auction in the Gulf of Mexico was a dud

Germany's RWE won the rights to a lease area in the Gulf of Mexico auction, marking the first-ever US offshore wind auction, but only one lease area received a bid, highlighting the importance of state policy and support for offshore wind development.