On May 11, 2022, BOEM held an offshore wind auction for two lease areas in the Carolina Long Bay. The lease sale drew competitive winning bids from two companies totaling approximately $315 million. To see the results of the auction, go to: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/carolina-long-bay.
Efforts Under Way
There are two ongoing activities offshore North Carolina:
Public Engagement
BOEM coordinates Outer Continental Shelf renewable energy activities with its federal, state, local, and tribal government partners through its North Carolina Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force. BOEM also coordinates public information meetings to help keep interested stakeholders updated on major renewable energy milestones. To obtain information discussed during these meetings click on the links below.
Environmental Studies
BOEM has funded or considered numerous studies to collect information about the marine environment to support decisions concerning offshore renewable energy development. For more information, please visit: http://www.boem.gov/North-Carolina-Environmental-Studies/.
Related Press Releases
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Winners of Carolina Long Bay Offshore Wind Energy Auction (May 11, 2022)
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces First Wind Energy Lease Sale Offshore the Carolinas (March 25, 2022)
- BOEM to Supplement Environmental Review of Wind Leasing Options Offshore the Carolinas (August 13, 2021)
- Interior Department Takes Action to Advance Offshore Wind in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico (October 28, 2021)
- BOEM to Supplement Environmental Review of Wind Leasing Options Offshore the Carolinas (August 13, 2021)
- Interior Department Auctions Over 122,000 Acres Offshore Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for Wind Energy Development (March 16, 2017)
- Interior Department to Auction 122,000 Acres Offshore North Carolina for Wind Energy Development (January 17, 2017)
- Interior Announces Milestone for Wind Energy Development Offshore North Carolina (August 12, 2016)
- BOEM Announces Major Step for Renewable Energy Offshore North Carolina (September 17, 2015)
- Milestone Reached for Commercial Wind Energy Development Offshore North Carolina (January 22, 2015)
- Secretary Jewell Announces Milestone for Commercial Wind Energy Development Offshore North Carolina (August 11, 2014)
- BOEM Extends Public Comment Period for Wind Energy Offshore North Carolina (February 4, 2013)
- BOEM Seeks Industry Interest in Renewable Wind Energy Offshore North Carolina (December 12, 2012)
- BOEM Announces Next Steps for Proposed Mid-Atlantic Wind Energy Transmission Line (December 20, 2011)
- BOEM Seeks Public Input on Offshore Wind Energy Development’s Potential Impacts on Historic Properties (October 20, 2011)
Background
The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act requires BOEM to award renewable energy leases competitively, unless BOEM determines there is no competitive interest. So, on Dec. 13, 2012, BOEM published a Call for Information and Nominations (or “Call”) in the Federal Register (under Docket ID: BOEM-2012-0088) for a 45-day public comments period to gauge the offshore wind industry's interest in acquiring commercial wind leases in three areas offshore North Carolina and to request comments regarding site conditions, resources and other uses within the Call areas. On Feb. 5, 2013, BOEM reopened the comment period for the Call to allow for additional public input. The comment period for the North Carolina Call for Information and Nominations (DOCKET ID: BOEM-2012-0088) closed on March 7, 2013. Materials related to the Call are below.
- The North Carolina Call for Information and Nominations (Dec. 13, 2012)
- Re-opening of the North Carolina Call for Information and Nominations Comment Period (Feb. 5, 2013)
- Map of the North Carolina Call Areas
- Additional Map Information for North Carolina Call Area
- Expressions of Interest in Response to the North Carolina Call for Information and Nominations
- Comments Submitted in Response to the North Carolina Call for Information and Nominations
Environmental Review
In addition to the Call, BOEM published in the Federal Register a “Notice of Intent (NOI) to Prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA)” on Dec. 13, 2012 (under Docket ID: BOEM-2012-0090). BOEM extended the public comment period until Mar. 7, 2013. The EA will consider potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with issuing commercial wind leases and approving site assessment activities on the lease areas.
- Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment (Dec. 13, 2012)
- Public Comments Responding to NOI (March 2013)
On January 23, 2015, BOEM published the EA for public review and comment. BOEM carefully considered all comments received and, on September 17, 2015, made available a revised EA for the WEAs offshore North Carolina. As a result of the analysis in the revised EA, BOEM issued a "Finding of No Significant Impact" (FONSI), which concluded that reasonably foreseeable environmental effects associated with the commercial wind lease issuance and related activities would not significantly impact the environment. For more information, click on the links below:
- Notice of Availability (Sep. 18, 2015)
- Revised EA and Finding of No Significant Impact
- Visual Assessment - Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM): Commercial Wind Leasing and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore North Carolina (Appendix F)
- Time Lapse Visual Simulation – Sunset Beach Pier
On August 13, 2021, BOEM announced that it would prepare a supplemental Environmental Assessment to consider additional wind leasing options offshore North Carolina and South Carolina. Specifically, BOEM is considering a lease sale for the Wilmington East Wind Energy Area located offshore North and South Carolina. The announcement initiated a 30-day public comment period that ended on September 12, 2021.
In Dec. 2021, BOEM announced the availability of a draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) of potential impacts from the issuance of leases within the Wilmington East WEA. More specifically, the draft SEA considered potential environmental consequences of site characterization activities (i.e., biological, archeological, geological, and geophysical surveys and core samples) and site assessment activities (i.e., installation of meteorological buoys). The draft SEA also looked at surveying potential cable corridors, which could include corridors that extend from the WEA to the onshore energy grid.
On March 25, 2022, BOEM also has completed its final Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) of potential impacts from wind energy leasing activities offshore North Carolina. The final SEA assesses potential impacts from the issuance of leases in the Wilmington East WEA. Based on the analysis in the final SEA, BOEM has issued a finding of no significant impact.
Simulations of Potential Visual Impacts
BOEM partnered with the National Park Service to create state of the art visual simulations of a wind energy facility offshore North Carolina. BOEM held Visual Simulation Open Houses in North Carolina to provide an opportunity to review the results of the Offshore Wind Visualization Study, which focused on locations within the Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores. The photo simulations, videos, and additional information on the study can be found through this link: www.boem.gov/Offshore-North-Carolina-Visualization-Study/.
Wind Energy Area Identification
On Aug. 11, 2014, BOEM announced that it has identified three WEAs offshore North Carolina:
- The Kitty Hawk WEA begins about 24 nm from shore and extends approximately 25.7 nm in a general southeast direction. Its seaward extent ranges from 13.5 nm in the north to .6 nm in the south. It contains approximately 21.5 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) blocks (122,405 acres).
- The Wilmington West WEA begins about 10 nm from shore and extends approximately 12.3 nm in an east-west direction at its widest point. It contains just over 9 OCS blocks (approximately 51,595 acres).
- The Wilmington East WEA begins about 15 nm from Bald Head Island at its closest point and extends approximately 18 nm in the southeast direction at its widest point. It contains approximately 25 OCS blocks (133,590 acres).
For additional information about the WEAs offshore North Carolina, click on the link below.
Proposed Sale Notice and Request for Interest
On August 12, 2016, BOEM announced the release of the Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 7 Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) and Request for Interest (RFI) for 122,405 acres offshore North Carolina. The PSN and RFI published in the Federal Register on August 16, 2016.
The PSN requested that any prospective bidders already qualified for commercial wind energy development offshore North Carolina affirm their continued interest and requested public comments on BOEM’s proposal to auction one lease offshore North Carolina for commercial wind energy development. Information related to the PSN and RFI is located below.
- Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 7 Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore North Carolina (Kitty Hawk) – Proposed Sale Notice & Request for Interest
- Proposed Commercial Lease OCS-A 0508
- Bidders Financial Form
- Map of the North Carolina (Kitty Hawk) Lease Area
- Map of the North Carolina (Kitty Hawk) Lease Area overlaid on Nautical Chart
- GIS File for the North Carolina (Kitty Hawk) Lease Area (UTM Zone 18, NAD 83)
Final Sale Notice
On January 17, 2017, BOEM announced the publication of the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for a lease sale offshore North Carolina. The lease area is located 24 nautical miles (nm) from shore and extends 25.7 nm in a general southeast direction. Its seaward extent ranges from 13.5 nm in the north to 0.6 nm in the south. It contains approximately 21.5 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) blocks (122,405 acres).
- Final Sale Notice
- Map of North Carolina (Kitty Hawk) Lease Area
- North Carolina (Kitty Hawk) Lease Area Overlaid on a Nautical Chart
- Commercial Lease OCS-A 0508
- Bidders Financial Form
- Alternate Bidding Form
- Electronic Payment Instructions
- Response to Comments
- Auction System Technical Supplement (ASTS)
Commercial Leases
On March 16, 2017, BOEM held a competitive lease sale (i.e. auction) for the Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Area offshore North Carolina. The auction lasted 17 rounds. Avangrid Renewables, LLC which bid $9,066,650 was the winner of lease OCS-A 0508 ( 122,405 acres). The lease was signed by BOEM on October 10, 2017 and went into effect on November 1, 2017. The executed lease is available below
A summary of the bidding results can be found through this link: https://www.boem.gov/ATLW-7-NC/.