The Energy Department has allocated $18.5 million in funds for an offshore wind research and development consortium that will carry out research to help reduce costs of offshore wind in the U.S.DOE said Tuesday the consortium will address topics such as wind plant technology advancement; resource and physical site characterization; installation; operations and maintenance; and supply chain technologies.
The consortium will include members from the offshore wind industry that will contribute funds to the consortium and apply research findings to technology development efforts.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry said the research results will support DOE’s goal to speed up the development of offshore wind technologies and boost the U.S. industry’s capacity to compete in regional energy markets.
DOE will select an administrator to coordinate the consortium’s research and development activities as well as issue $2 million in research funds to national laboratories to support the consortium’s work.
