RWE today announced that Amanda Lefton,
who they claim transformed the offshore wind industry in the U.S. during
her tenure as the Director of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau
of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), has joined the company as Vice President
of Development, East. In this position, Lefton will lead RWE’s offshore
development along the east coast.
“Amanda has successfully created significant
momentum for the offshore wind industry in the U.S. Her know-how navigating
all levels of government has resulted in the approval and now construction
of the nation’s first two offshore wind projects,” said Sam Eaton, CEO
of RWE Offshore Wind Holdings “It’s no secret that Amanda’s leadership
permeates the entire industry and I’m thrilled that she has decided to
continue her career at RWE.”
As the Director of BOEM, Amanda led development
and implementation of the Biden Administration’s ambitious offshore wind
agenda, including all federal offshore wind leasing, project reviews, and
policy and regulatory matters. Amanda advanced an “all-of-government”
approach and worked closely with colleagues in leadership at the Department
of the Interior, the White House, other federal agencies, Tribal nations,
state governments, and myriad stakeholders to tackle key energy and environmental
issues.
“Now more than ever, we must find scalable
solutions to tackle the climate crisis. RWE has a strong track record of
taking projects from conception to reality which is the precise expertise
needed to deliver offshore wind to our States,” said Amanda Lefton, VP
of RWE Development, U.S. East. “Joining the RWE team is an exciting opportunity
to get more projects in the water by continuing to shape this growing industry
to approach development holistically, drive technological innovation and
supply chain localization, and to deliver benefits to underserved communities.”
Most recently, Lefton served as the Senior
Policy Director of Energy and Climate at Foley Hoag. Prior to serving as
the Director for BOEM, Lefton served as the First Assistant Secretary for
Energy and Environment for the former Governor of New York where she led
the State’s climate and environmental initiatives and managed a portfolio
of twelve agencies and authorities. In this role she championed and advanced
implementation of landmark nation-leading climate and renewable energy
strategies. Previously, Amanda was the Deputy Policy Director for The Nature
Conservancy in New York, worked in the labor movement for the Rochester
Regional Joint Board of Workers United, and for the New York State Assembly
and the New York State Senate.
As the fastest growing new entrant in
the U.S. offshore wind market, RWE has acquired a development pipeline
of more than 4 GW, including the largest lease area in the New York Bight.
Lefton’s portfolio will include RWE’s 3 GW Community Offshore Wind project,
a joint venture with National Grid Ventures. RWE is the number two offshore
wind developer globally with unparalleled expertise across the entire value
chain resulting in 19 offshore wind projects in operation.