The
Department of Energy (DOE) new funding of $18.5 million will be used for an
offshore wind research and development (R&D) consortium in the country,
U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced Tuesday.
According
to the statement, the consortium will include members of the offshore wind
industry, who will contribute funds to the consortium and use the research
findings to further advance technologies.
This
consortium will be a cooperative private-public innovation for wind plant
technology advancement, resource and physical site characterization,
installation, operations and maintenance, and supply chain technology
solutions.
However,
the country has several specific challenges that require industry-wide
collaboration to reduce costs.
The
challenges, such as deep water requiring floating foundations, the need for
models predicting how Atlantic hurricanes will impact offshore turbines, and
supply chain and operations and maintenance solutions to address the challenges
of building and maintaining turbines at sea.
In
addition to this $18.5 million funding opportunity announcement, $2 million
will also be allocated to research at DOE’s national laboratories to support
the consortium's R&D activities.
(Anadolu Agency)