OFFSHORE WIND BIZ • July 27, 2023
The Maine Legislature has passed a bill that would call for the state to procure 3 GW of offshore wind by 2040, which is now expected to be signed into law by Governor Janet Mills. The bill calls for Maine to procure 3 GW of offshore wind power generation by 2040, enough to power 900,000 homes and supply half of the state’s total electricity demand. The Department of the Interior plans to designate Wind Energy Areas in the Gulf of Maine in the fourth quarter of this year and hold an offshore wind auction in 2024. The bill also contains provisions to support a construction port to be used for turbine assembly, and provisions for lobster fishing in the Gulf of Maine and to prioritize jobs for Maine residents.