Lessons Learned from LNG and the Deepwater Port Act

摘要

Capital projects using “new” energy technologies must chart a course between old and new licensing regimes, while securing funding to keep critical design phases on track. As offshore energy developers and agency staff brace for the licensing marathon to gain necessary approvals, are there lessons that can be learned from the recent boom-and-bust period to license liquefi ed natural gas (LNG) facilities under the Deepwater Port Act (DWPA)?There are important parallels: 1 Capital-intensive projects with critical (and expensive) siting and design phases; 2 the challenges of operating in the marine environment; 3 licensing regimes adapted from existing regulations; and 4 organized public opposition.DWPA licensing has its challenges, but the process has managed to approve some projects in concert with state and local agency approvals. The market for natural gas killed most projects, not the licensing process. What might this mean for offshore wind?