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Louisiana may not see the promised revenue from offshore wind and renewable energy royalties due to President Trump’s recent memorandum halting new wind energy leases on the Outer Continental Shelf and pausing federal approvals for existing projects, The Center Square reports.
The Lava Ridge Wind Project in Idaho was the first casualty, as the Bureau of Land Management’s approval was deemed legally deficient.
Although it has not been completely canceled, the project faces further reviews and potential environmental studies. Wind energy has faced scrutiny for its environmental costs, resource consumption and sustainability challenges.
Onshore wind farms require significantly more critical minerals than fossil fuels, and offshore turbines demand more resources. Onshore wind farms require 30,000 acres per terawatt-hour annually. Wind energy also occupies six times more space than a natural gas power plant.
These costs make wind power a difficult investment for taxpayers. The halt on leasing will delay the development of new wind projects, including those planned for the Gulf of Mexico.
Currently, there is no wind power sited in the Gulf, but in 2023 the U.S. Department of the Interior announced plans to auction off commercial wind energy leasing rights for three areas in the Gulf: Two parcels near Galveston, Texas and one offshore of Lake Charles.
