Gulf of Mexico

In 2005 and 2007, the Texas General Land Office issued leases for offshore wind projects to Wind Energy Systems Technology, Inc. The leases allow the company to conduct wind resource assessments, monitor  avian patterns,  and  gather data from meteorological towers in areas off the coast of Galveston, Texas. Unlike other states, the Texas government has regulatory control over coastal waters up to 10.3 miles from land.

Louisiana’s Public Service Commission has explored the possibility of using oil rigs set for decommission as platforms for wind turbines. Each oil rig costs between $400,000 and $5 million to remove, and since 1997 more than 1,000 oil  rigs  have been removed from Louisiana’s waters.