DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

( Wind Power Development on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico )

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The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has proposed an offer one or more lease areas (Lease Areas) for commercial wind power development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The Lease Areas are located in the select wind energy areas (WEA) offshore Lake Charles, LA, and Galveston, TX.  BOEM published its Notice of Final Sale to be held on August 29, 2023.

Department of Energy (DOE) can support a broad range of projects and activities for the development of energy resources, products, and services that utilize commercial technology. This joint venture opportunity qualifies as an Eligible Project under DOE Rules because overall it is a Electricity generation, transmission and/or distribution facilities, utilizing renewable or conventional energy sources.

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As proposed, the Contribution to workforce training must result in a better trained and/or larger domestic offshore wind workforce that would provide for more efficient operations via increasing the supply of fully trained personnel. Training of existing Lessee employees, Lessee contractors, or employees of affiliated entities would not qualify.

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As proposed, Contributions to workforce training would need to promote and support one or more of the following purposes: (i) Union apprenticeships, labor management training partnerships, stipends for workforce training, or other technical training programs or institutions focused on providing skills necessary for the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, or decommissioning of offshore wind energy projects in the United States; (ii) Maritime training necessary for the crewing of vessels to be used for the construction, servicing, and/or decommissioning of wind energy projects in the United States; (iii) Training workers in skills or techniques necessary to manufacture or assemble offshore wind components, subcomponents or subassemblies.

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Examples of these skills and techniques include welding; wind energy technology; hydraulic maintenance; braking systems; mechanical systems, including blade inspection and maintenance; or computers and programmable logic control systems; (iv) Tribal offshore wind workforce development programs or training for employees of wholly owned Tribal corporations in skills necessary in the offshore wind industry; that lead to the expeditious and orderly development of offshore wind; or (v) Training in any other job skills that the Lessee can demonstrate are necessary for the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, or decommissioning of offshore wind energy projects in the United States.