TL/DR –
The United States has eyes on the renewable energy prize, handpicking finalists for a competition to develop floating offshore wind tech. The goal? To whip up enough electricity to keep up with more than double current U.S. energy consumption. But don’t get it twisted – it’s not just about winning the competition, it’s about revolutionizing clean energy and ramping up floating wind power.
The U.S. Pushing Boundaries with Floating Offshore Wind Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy is fueling innovation with its FLOWIN competition, aimed at refining technologies for floating offshore wind energy. This initiative could double the current U.S. electricity consumption, with studies hinting at the potential of producing 2.8 terawatts of electricity.
With about two-thirds of the U.S.’s offshore wind power potential optimally suited for floating turbines, the Biden administration has set a hefty goal of deploying 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind capacity by 2035. The race is on to create tech that can withstand deep, high-wind ocean areas, outclassing today’s fixed-bottom offshore wind turbines.
Breaking Down the Competition
The FLOWIN competition, administrated by the National Renewable Energy Laborites (NREL), was designed to streamline the building process of floating wind turbines. Phase one winners were announced in 2023, and phase two was recently completed. Five finalists were awarded $450,000 in cash and $100,000 in tech support credit from a Department of Energy national laboratory.
A few star players from the phase two winners include PelaStar with its lightweight tension-leg platform technology, FloatHOME’s triangular platform WindFloat, and Technip Energies’ INO15—a semisubmersible, three-column floating platform. The final phase will determine who can practically implement their floating offshore wind energy technologies on U.S. shores with up to three winners receiving a $900k cash prize.
Investing in the Future
Over the course of this competition, the U.S. has dedicated over $950 million to floating wind technologies. Alongside, the Department of Energy also plans to issue $20 million in funding for projects further refining floating offshore wind systems. Additionally, $3.5 million has been earmarked for the establishment of a floating offshore wind Center of Excellence.
The first offshore wind installations are expected in 2023 off the coast of California, a groundbreaking step in expanding the U.S.’s renewable energy capabilities. With the addition of ten new proposed lease areas in Oregon and the Gulf of Maine, it’s clear that floating turbines are the new frontier in harnessing offshore wind potential.
Original Story at maritime-executive.com
