U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper announced Sept. 23 that 343,833 acres offshore New Jersey will be offered for commercial wind energy development in a competitive lease sale on Nov. 9, 2015.

If fully developed, the New Jersey Wind Energy Area could support at least 3,400 MW of commercial wind generation, enough to power an estimated 1.2 million homes, according to the Department of Energy (DOE)’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Under the terms of the Final Sale Notice, which will be published in the Federal Register on Sept. 25, the New Jersey Wind Energy Area will be auctioned as two leases. Lease OCS-A 0498 (the South Lease Area) consists of 160,480 acres; and Lease OCS-A 0499 (the North Lease Area) consists of 183,353 acres.

BOEM has awarded nine commercial offshore wind leases, including seven through the competitive lease sale process (two in an area offshore Rhode Island-Massachusetts, another two offshore Massachusetts, two offshore Maryland and one offshore Virginia). These lease sales have generated about $14.5m in winning bids for more than 700,000 acres in federal waters.

BOEM will consider monetary and non-monetary factors (in other words whether a bidder has obtained a Power Purchase Agreement or New Jersey Offshore Renewable Energy Certificate award) in determining the winners. The notice further describes these requirements, as well as other relevant sale items, such as deadlines and milestones for bidders, the area available for leasing, lease provisions and conditions, auction details, criteria for evaluating bids, award procedures and lease execution.

To date, BOEM has determined that the following energy development companies are legally, technically and financially qualified to participate in the upcoming New Jersey lease sale: Convalt Energy; GSOE I; EDF Renewable Energy Development; Energy Management; Fishermen’s Energy; Green Sail Energy; IBERDROLA Renewables; New Jersey Offshore Wind LLC; OffshoreMW; RES America Development; Sea Breeze Energy; US Mainstream Renewable Power (Offshore); U.S. Wind Inc.

In order to participate in the auction, a bid deposit of $450,000 must be submitted to BOEM no later than Oct. 20.

For more information on the New Jersey Wind Energy Area and upcoming auction, visit http://www.boem.gov/State-Activities-New-Jersey/.

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Lead image: V90-3.0 MW, Robin Rigg, UK. Credit: Vestas.