DOE seeks input on offshore wind research

Department of Energy (DOE) officials are seeking public input regarding national-level offshore wind research and development (R&D) test facilities.

The agency said the Request for Information (RFI), which will focus on existing capabilities and needs, would allow industry personnel and the public to provide knowledge and recommendations to DOE for the development of offshore wind facilities. The RFI would also seek to increase the partnership between the public and private sectors.

“Testing of offshore wind components and scale-prototypes is critical to help advance America’s offshore wind industry,” Undersecretary of Energy Mark Menezes said. “Through this request, we are looking to better understand our U.S. offshore wind testing capabilities, and how we can improve those facilities to compete in the global market.”

The RFI is conducted by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO). WETO supports a wide scope of research, including the Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects, the collection of hub-height wind and various metocean data by the DOE offshore wind LIDAR resource assessment buoys.

DOE officials said they are interested in gaining greater insight regarding facilities that can conduct unique offshore wind R&D in the United States as well as needed upgrades to existing facilities or new facilities for the United States to be at the cutting edge of offshore wind research and development. They are also interested in specific tests and analyses that could be carried out at existing, upgraded or new facilities to advance the offshore wind industry.