Wind Energy Technologies Office

May 10, 2023

Continue to follow the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) for the latest news, events, and updates.

Deadlines Blowing In 💨

• Full applications for Clean Energy to Communities In-Depth Partnership are due by May 17, 2023. 
• Full applications for the $6.5 million funding opportunity for improving grid infrastructure and reliability are due by 8 p.m. ET on May 23, 2023.
• Full applications for the Energizing Rural Communities Prize are due by May 24, 2023. 
• Concept papers for the $30 million funding opportunity for research on an inverter-based power system are due by 5 p.m. ET on June 5, 2023. 
• Concept papers for the $4.5 million funding opportunity for offshore wind Centers of Excellence are due by 5 p.m. ET on June 8, 2023. 
• Full applications for the funding opportunity to support small- and medium-sized manufacturers to produce or recycle advanced energy property are due by 5 p.m. ET on June 8, 2023. 
• Applications for the 2024 Collegiate Wind Competition are due by 4:59 p.m. MT on June 15, 2023. 
• Full applications for the $150 million funding opportunity for research on the science foundations for Energy Earthshots are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 21, 2023. 
• Applications for offshore wind energy proposals for the Ocean Energy Safety Institute are due by 11:59 p.m. CT on July 24, 2023. 
• Applications for WETO’s mechanical systems engineer position are being accepted until the position has been filled.

Announcements

DOE Releases Funding Opportunity for Offshore Wind Centers of Excellence

WETO has released a $4.75 million funding opportunity that will create one or more university-led Center(s) of Excellence. These Centers will be used to promote offshore wind expertise at U.S. universities, develop partnerships to address key offshore wind development challenges, and educate the next generation of offshore wind energy experts in the United States.

The Centers will do this work while establishing strong cross-sector partnerships to identify and conduct critical, multidisciplinary research. All of this aims to address key offshore wind energy technology and deployment challenges. 

Concept papers for this funding opportunity are due by 5 p.m. ET on June 8, 2023.

DOE Announces $26 Million to Support an Affordable, Reliable, and Resilient Clean Energy Grid

As part of the nation’s Investing in America agenda, DOE announced $26 million for eight projects to demonstrate how solar power, wind energy, energy storage, and other clean energy resources can support a reliable and efficient U.S. power grid. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the projects will deploy innovative clean energy technologies at 15 sites across the country to build and support a resilient grid that automatically adjusts to changing demands and disruptions, providing Americans everywhere peace of mind in the event of intentional or unanticipated interruptions to the power grid. 

WETO Is Hiring a New Mechanical Systems Engineer

Are you a Clean Energy Champion looking for a job in improving the world? If so, this opportunity could be for you! WETO is looking to hire a systems engineer to serve as principal technology manager for mechanical systems within its Technology Research, Development, and Testing program. The successful candidate will help develop program plans and strategies, initiatives, and budgets that provide a comprehensive, integrated, and complementary suite of mechanical systems research, development, and testing activities. This work will be used to advance the next generation of offshore and land-based wind energy systems, including drivetrain components, bearings, yaw and pitch mechanisms, structural components, and others. Learn more about this position, which will be open until filled. 

WETO Expands Funding to Small Business for Floating Offshore Wind Anchoring Systems

As part of DOE's Small Business Innovative Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, WETO announced Phase III funding to Triton Systems, Inc. This funding will be used to continue the development of a first-of-its kind helical anchoring system with a unique subsea installation tool that offers significant cost savings and near-silent anchor installation, which minimizes disruption to the nearby environment. With the $1.07 million Small Business Innovative Research program Phase III award funded by the Biden-Harris administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Triton Systems, Inc. will next demonstrate their technology by installing and testing a full-scale offshore anchor, and seek third-party certification. 

We’re Big Fans💨 of This News

Giant Offshore Wind Farms May Power the Future 

Miami Herald reporter Nicolas Rivero interviewed Nate McKenzie, WETO technology manager for offshore wind research, on the untapped potential for floating offshore wind energy in the United States and how DOE’s FLoating Offshore Wind ReadINess (FLOWIN) Prize is helping pilot projects pave the way for floating wind turbine construction to speed up fast in the future. The article focused on FLOWIN Prize recipient ESTEYCO, a Spain-based engineering firm that operates out of Coral Gables, Florida, and their innovative Wind Hybrid Esteyco Evolution for Low-Carbon Solutions (or WHEEL) platform technology.

Clean Energy Champions

Meet the Clean Energy Champion Developing Wildlife-Friendly Wind Energy Solutions

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory researcher Shari Matzner built a successful early career as a software engineer in the private sector and, later, as a NASA contractor, but she didn’t stop there.   “I’ve always had a healthy curiosity about a lot of different things, and I always wanted to go back to school,” said Matzner. “And so, even though by then I was in my 40s and really didn’t know what I was getting myself into, I went back to school and got my Ph.D.”  Read about Matzner’s past as a software engineer and NASA contractor, her current efforts in wind energy ecology and environmental sustainability, and her advice for those who aspire to work in renewable energy.

Events

Collegiate Wind Competition 2023

Competition: May 15–19, 2023, Boulder, CO

Join the DOE Collegiate Wind Competition 2023 final event, where multidisciplinary teams of college students will network with members of the wind industry, test their wind turbine prototypes, and present their wind turbine designs, wind energy project development plans, and outreach efforts to panels of experts. Register to attend by May 14, 2023.

CLEANPOWER 2023 Conference and Exhibition 

Conference: May 22–25, 2023, New Orleans, LA 

The American Clean Power Association’s annual conference will feature panels, presentations, workshops, and poster sessions on the renewable energy industry, including land-based wind energy, offshore wind energy, distributed wind energy, solar power, energy storage, and transmission. Be sure to stop by DOE’s booth, #1623, to discuss all the latest wind energy R&D with the WETO team! Find more information on the event website.

U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research Webinar

Webinar: May 31, 2023, Virtual

The U.S. Offshore Wind Synthesis of Environmental Effects Research project is hosting a free, public webinar series to share the latest research on the potential environmental effects of offshore wind energy development. The goal of the first webinar is to provide both a review and updates on ecosystem-level, “big picture” considerations for large-scale surveys to inform the occurrence, distribution, habitat-use, and movement of marine mammals, fish, seabirds, and sea turtles offshore. Speakers include WETO's Joy Page, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Tim White, and more!

Distributed Wind Lessons Learned: Perspectives from Industry Insiders Workshop

Webinar: June 6, 2023, Virtual

Join distributed wind industry insiders for a 4-hour workshop hosted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to discuss lessons learned in the industry through many years of ups and downs. Turbine manufacturers will share their experiences with field failures, warranty claims, and challenging market conditions; testing and certification experts will discuss their experiences evaluating technology in extreme conditions and partnering with manufacturers to test and certify their designs; and turbine service providers and installers will share stories of site visits, troubleshooting, logistics, and repair. Webinar discussion will inform the lab's Distributed Wind Aeroelastic Modeling project guidance document designed to inform turbine designs based on real-world failures seen in the field.

Transmission and Interconnection Summit 2023

Conference: June 12–14, 2023, Arlington, VA

The Transmission & Interconnection Summit 2023 will bring together the leading policymakers, senior executives, and leading experts, including DOE’s Jian Fu who will kick off the conference, working to reimagine interconnection and transmission planning processes to meet the needs of the clean energy transition. 

American Floating Offshore Wind Technical Summit 2023

Conference: Sept. 26–27, 2023, Portland, ME, and Virtual

This 2-day conference brings together industry, academia, and government floating offshore wind experts from around the world to chart a course for domestic floating offshore wind energy. Whether in person or virtually, join this event to participate in discussions on the technical, regulatory, and permitting challenges that must be addressed to unlock floating offshore wind energy’s significant potential.

North American Wind Energy Academy/WindTech 2023 Conference

Conference: Oct. 31–Nov. 3, 2023, Denver, CO 

This year, the conference will focus on a future where high levels of wind energy deployment meet the needs of a grid dominated by renewable energy and feature the latest research to integrate wind energy with solar power, energy storage, and other energy sources into the complex and highly interdependent energy system of the future. The event will also address the social and environmental issues at the core of such an expansion and include the "grand challenges" of wind energy. Subscribe to get conference updates.

Abstract submissions are now open. Review the available tracks and submit abstracts on the University of Colorado Boulder website by May 19, 2023.

In Case You Missed It

• Picture this: Nearly $3.5 billion announced for manufacturing and port investments under President Biden. Check out our new map on these U.S. offshore wind energy technology manufacturing facilities, ports, and vessels!
• Researchers have developed hybrid testing—which combines the benefits of both physical field tests and computerized simulations—to capture the broadest, most reliable information about offshore wind energy systems. 
• A new study shows that power generation and energy storage in the transmission interconnection queues across the United States continues to grow dramatically.