An offshore wind company said Thursday that it reached a $1.2 billion deal with the Trump administration to walk away from projects under development off New York, California and Louisiana.RWE U.S. Offshore said its leases represented years of planning, investment and partnership with federal agencies, but it determined there was no path forward to permit the projects for the foreseeable future. In exchange for $1.22 billion, RWE is relinquishing the wind power leases.President Donald Trump, who often talks about his hatred of wind power, has said his goal is to not let any “windmills” be built. The Republican administration has been buying back offshore wind leases from energy companies as it seeks to discourage the expansion of wind energy in favor of fossil fuels. Offshore wind produces electricity cleanly. Oil, coal and natural gas emit carbon pollution when burned.
RWE announced it is investing $900 million in a liquified natural gas project in Louisiana and spending $300 million on natural gas turbines. The company is developing 15 natural gas peaking projects across the United States.This latest deal brings the total amount spent on these agreements to roughly $3.9 billion. The administration adopted this strategy after federal courts thwarted Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action.
