Today (Oct 21), 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. These 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. 

"Our oceans can deliver vast amounts of clean power to support a resilient energy system for the American people," said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "By increasing the reliability of offshore wind and marine energy technologies and ensuring environmentally responsible development, these selected projects can accelerate the deployment of offshore renewable energy." 

"This multiagency collaboration highlights the strength of the U.S. DOI, DOE, and Department of Commerce's partnership in responsibly managing public trust resources," said Kevin Sligh, director of DOI's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). "The selected projects support BSEE's objectives of ensuring rigorous safety and environmental requirements for facility design and installation and maintaining an effective offshore renewable energy program on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf." 

The topics and projects selected in this funding program are: 

Topic Area 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. These platforms, as well as marine energy systems, can operate in deep waters and rough seas, and they require specialized and reliable technologies to secure them to the sea floor. 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 

Topic Area 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

Learn more about the selected projects.

This opportunity was funded by DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office and Water Power Technologies Office, along with DOI's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management