Global wind developer RWE has partnered with electric utility Entergy to analyze the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GoM) wind market, RWE said March 30 in a news release.

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly evaluate delivering offshore wind energy to industrial customers in Texas and Louisiana. Plans are to assess market demand for Entergy Louisiana, Entergy New Orleans and Entergy Texas customers; resource economics; transmission analysis; economic impacts, including job creation; and workforce preparation curricula, according to the release.

“The existing Gulf of Mexico oil and gas supply chain, workforce and port infrastructure represent unique advantages to a potential offshore wind hub,” said Sam Eaton, CEO of RWE Offshore Holdings LLC. “Working together with a local partner like Entergy can deepen our understanding of the next steps to strengthen these valuable assets and support a new, regional industry.”

The partnership forms as the U.S. aims to increase its offshore wind capacity to 30 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed in February its first wind lease sale for the GoM, opening one area offshore Lake Charles, Louisiana, and two areas offshore Galveston, Texas, for wind development. Combined, the areas could power nearly 1.3 million homes with clean energy, according to the U.S. Interior Department. A date for the sale has not been announced yet.

“Entergy Texas is perfectly positioned to explore offshore wind development as Texas already leads the nation in electricity generated by wind energy,” said Eliecer Viamontes, Entergy Texas president and CEO. “The state and our service area are growing at a rapid rate and this partnership with RWE will play a key role in evaluating a broader slate of clean resources that will sustain our robust pace of industrial growth and economic development in the decades to come.”

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RWE is already involved in Louisiana’s efforts to reach its goal of 5 GW of offshore wind power by 2035. Working with Greater New Orleans Inc., RWE said it initiated a program in 2022 to identify companies with transferable capabilities for offshore wind to build the state’s supply chain. Results are set to be released later this year.

“RWE’s early success acquiring two offshore wind lease areas in the U.S. has positioned us well to continue preparing future markets for a robust clean energy economy powered by offshore wind,” Eaton said.

The company secured wind development rights offshore California in the Humboldt Bay in December 2022. RWE also had a successful bid in the New York Bight lease auction in early 2022 when it was awarded a 3-GW lease area offshore New York and New Jersey through the Community Offshore Wind joint venture with National Grid, a natural gas and electric provider.

Offshore