Wind

DOE Picks Three Offshore Demonstration Projects to Proceed to Phase II

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Wednesday selected three projects to proceed to the second phase of its offshore wind advanced technology demonstration initiative: Fishermen’s Atlantic City Windfarm, Principle Power’s Oregon project, and Dominion Virginia Power’s Virginia Beach project. 

Assistant Secretary of the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) David Danielson revealed the three projects—of seven initially chosen for the first phase of the demonstration program—had been selected to proceed to Phase II at WINDPOWER 2014 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Principle Power plans to install five semi-submersible floating foundations (WindFloat) outfitted with Siemens 6-MW direct-drive turbines in deep water 15 miles from Coos Bay, Ore. Fishermen’s Energy plans to install five 5-MW XEMC direct-drive turbines in state waters three miles off the coast of Atlantic City, N.J., while Dominion Virginia Power plans to install two Alstom 6-MW direct drive turbines off the coast of Virginia Beach.

Both Dominion and Fishermen’s projects will use innovative “twisted jacket” foundations that are as strong as traditional jacket structures but use substantially less steel. “If the projects successfully demonstrate the twisted jacket foundations, engineers may use the design in future offshore wind projects in locations such as the Atlantic Wind Energy Areas established by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,” said the DOE in a statement on Wednesday.

Each selected project may receive up to $47.7 million in cost-shared funding, the DOE said, including $7.7 million to complete front-end engineering design.

Sonal Patel, associate editor (@POWERmagazine, @sonalcpatel)

 

 

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