Posted in energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, tagged 5 year leasing plan, High Arctic, planning areas, Secretary Burgum, US Dept. of the Interior on April 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Dept. of the Interior Announcement and leasing plan development process
Notably, BOEM’s jurisdiction on the OCS has recently changed. A new planning area offshore Alaska—the High Arctic—is being established as the 27th OCS planning area. Additionally, boundaries of other existing planning areas are being updated to align with BOEM’s revised jurisdiction. Details on these changes will be included in a forthcoming Federal Register notice and posted to BOEM’s website.
Posted in energy policy, Offshore Wind, tagged BOEM, Congressman Chris Smith, Congressman Van Drew, Empire Wind, Equinor, Secretary Burgum on April 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Equinor’s Empire Wind project had been challenged by New Jersey congressmen and questioned by Norwegian investors. I suspect that Equinor saw the writing on the wall.
Posted in Norway, Offshore Energy - General, Offshore Wind, tagged Congressman Chris Smith, Empire Wind, Equinor, poor return, Secretary Burgum, wind investments on April 4, 2025| Leave a Comment »
A letter from Congressman Chris Smith (NJ) to Sec. Burgum is attached. Excerpt:
I am writing to advise you that Equinor, a Norwegian Energy multinational is planning to move forward with construction of its Empire Wind 1 project off the coast of New Jersey and New York as early as this April.
This is an alarming development and should not be allowed before the comprehensive review of offshore wind ordered by President Trump’s January 20th executive order is completed. The executive order states that the assessment is needed to review the many shortcomings of the Federal wind leasing process including, “potential inadequacies in various environmental reviews required by the National Environmental Policy Act.”
Meanwhile, Norwegian investors have expressed dissatisfaction with Equinor’s renewable energy ventures. This Norwegian article raises concerns about Empire Wind 1, saying the project “could become a new industrial scandal.”
Based on the respective financial performance of oil producers, I think it’s fair to say that investors aren’t attracted to those companies because of their wind projects.
Posted in energy policy, Wind Energy, tagged all of the above energy, Big Oil, China coal consumption, Denmark energy, Secretary Burgum, Washington Post, wind opposition on February 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Now that the favored wind industry is struggling, the Washington Post is conveniently endorsing an “all of the above” energy policy and urging Interior Secretary Burgum to “stand up for wind energy.” Where was this support for “all of the above” when offshore oil and gas leasing was halted, important pipeline approvals were being denied, States were banning hydraulic fracturing, nuclear plants were stalled, and coal workers were being told to “learn how to code?”
Additional comments on the Post’s opinion piece:
WP: “Opponents of wind power — many of them tied to the fossil fuel industry — have taken note and are furiously lobbying the government to block projects already under construction, as well.”
Comments:
WP: “China’s capacity for wind power is already three times that of the United States.”
Comment: Does this make China an environmental leader? Does the WP also support China’s world-leading and still growing coal consumption (see below)?
WP: “Denmark derives about 60 percent of its total energy from wind.”
Comment: Is the WP unconcerned about the intermittency of wind power, the dramatic fluctuations in capacity factors, and the need for alternate power sources, typically coal and natural gas? How do these wind capacity factors look (chart below)? Does the WP support other Danish climate policies like the tax on cow emissions?
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 