The U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) has opened an initial funding opportunity, Standardization for Interregional Offshore Wind Transmission, of up to $1.25 million to improve offshore wind (OSW) deployment along the Atlantic Coast by identifying opportunities and strategies to standardize transmission development.
The opportunity, which is managed in collaboration with ConnectWerx, intends to identify technical experts, including specialized independent consultants or academic entities, to lead a consortium recognizing standardized OSW transmission equipment specifications to support coordinated procurement in the U.S.
DOE and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have been collaborating to boost OSW off both the Atlantic and West Coasts in support of meeting the Biden-Harris Administration goals of deploying 30 GW of OSW by 2030 and 15 GW of floating OSW by 2035, as well as unlocking a pathway to deploy 110 GW by 2050.
The Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Action Plan and the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study has highlighted the role of coordinated offshore transmission networks in the Atlantic region. As part of the funding opportunity, GDO will fund one principal investigator over an initial one-year performance period to assemble and lead a consortium.
The aim of the research consortium is to provide guidance and develop best practices for the Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission to promote efficient interconnection of projects expected to be constructed by different vendors using equipment from various manufacturers across numerous time zones. It will also develop ideas for near-term and future-state offshore wind solicitation processes.
Although targeting the Atlantic region, the work is anticipated to not only benefit the U.S. OSW industry as a whole but also inform future state action across coastal regions.
ConnectWerx and DOE collaboration is made possible through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement set up by the DOE's Office of Technology Transitions. The agreement helps ConnectWerx broaden DOE’s engagement with organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of clean energy solutions.
