A new report suggests that in order to reach the 30-gigawatt offshore wind energy target by 2030, the U.S. government needs to identify new locations and consider incentive mechanisms for supply chain development.
The National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium published a supply chain roadmap as a preview to the full project summary that will be released in late winter, the Department of Energy said Monday.
The roadmap includes short-, medium- and long-term actions to secure offshore wind supply. To build its foundation, the consortium recommends convening working groups to study regional and holistic supply chain development.
To gain momentum, major facilities need to be built and metrics for early-stage commercial-scale projects need to be established and evaluated. In the long run, the country must boost domestic production to fill manufacturing gaps, NOWRDC stated.
The study was led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and involves DOE, DNV, the Business Network for Offshore Wind, Maryland Energy Administration and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
“Developing our nation’s vast offshore wind resources will provide reliable clean energy to coastal communities and help us reach our climate goals. It also presents a significant opportunity to create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and expand domestic manufacturing across the country,” said Alejandro Moreno, DOE’s acting assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy. “With the help of the roadmap laid out in this report, we can catalyze progress to realize this immense potential.”
