US Government Invests $17 Million in Offshore Renewable Technology

Photo: Matt Hardy, Unsplash (Source: DOE)

The U.S. departments of Energy (DOE) and the Interior (DOI) announced the selection of 14 projects totaling nearly $17 million to further support durable and environmentally responsible U.S. offshore wind energy and marine energy deployments.

The projects include research for technology advancements to improve the integrity of mooring systems that keep floating offshore wind energy platforms and marine energy converters in position when operating in deep waters. The projects also include research to reduce or avoid noise generation during the installation of fixed-bottom offshore wind energy foundations.

The topics and projects selected in this funding program are:

1: Reliable Moorings for Floating Offshore Wind and Marine Energy Systems

About two-thirds of U.S. offshore wind energy potential exists over waters too deep for today's fixed-bottom wind turbine foundations secured directly to the sea floor, and instead require floating platforms. Projects in this topic area will address specific near-term needs informing mooring system designs for floating offshore wind and marine energy.

Deep Anchor Solutions Inc. (College Station, Texas): $932,200
GE Vernova Advanced Research Center (Niskayuna, New York): $997,800
Michelin North America, Inc (Coraopolis, Pennsylvania): $837,800
Stress Engineering Services, Inc. (Houston, Texas): $984,400
Triton Anchor LLC (Chelmsford, Massachusetts): $999,300
University of Maine (Orono, Maine): $1,000,000
WireCo Worldgroup Inc. (Prairie Village, Kansas): $738,900.

2: Noise Reduction for Fixed-Bottom Offshore Wind Installation

Projects in this topic area will address needs for additional technologies and strategies to reduce the noise associated with installation of fixed-bottom turbine foundations, which has the potential to promote ocean co-use with marine wildlife.

Integral Consulting Inc. (Santa Cruz, California): $1,196,000
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Arvada, Colorado): $800,000
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Richland, Washington): $500,000
Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana): $3,817,700
Triton Anchor LLC (Chelmsford, Massachusetts): $1,303,800
Tufts University (Medford, Massachusetts): $488,200
University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan): $2,402,000.