"WASHINGTON -- A giant of coal-fired power won a $1.6 million lease to build the first wind farm off the coast of Virginia on Wednesday, a development that renewable energy advocates are cheering."

"Dominion Virginia Power had the winning bid on 112,800 acres of land 27 miles off Virginia's coast. Bidding on the plot went for six rounds, escalating from a starting offer of just $225,600. Dominion's final bid topped that of Charlottesville, Va.-based Apex Clean Energy.

'I'm very pleased with the sale and the vigor of the competition,' said Tommy Beaudreau, director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, in a call with reporters following the sale.

The bureau, a division of the Department of the Interior, estimates that the lease area can produce up to 2,000 megawatts of wind power, enough to provide electricity for 700,000 homes."

Kate Sheppard reports for the Huffington Post September 4, 2013. [2]