There was little interest in the first offshore wind auction in the Gulf of Mexico; only one of three sites was sold

Like some other countries, the United States has begun auctioning offshore sites in recent months for the construction of offshore wind farms. This week saw the first-ever auction for sites in the Gulf of Mexico, although participation was extremely low. Only one of the three sites on offer was sold at auction, for just under $6 million.

Offshore wind farms are expected to become one of the pillars of the renewable energy mix in the future, and not just in Europe. The main advantage of offshore wind turbines over their onshore counterparts is the ability to build taller, more powerful turbines with access to stronger and steadier winds, as well as less opposition from a large proportion of the population.

The US federal government has set a target of 30 GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030, while individual states, including New York and New Jersey, are also seeking to develop wind power off their coasts.