Did You Know?

Utilities have increasingly deployed wind power to provide larger portions of electricity generation in the United States.

Check out our website to learn how WETO works to create new strategies for integrating increasing amounts of wind energy into the power system while maintaining economic and reliable operation of the grid.

WETO and Office of Electricity plan to fund research to drive innovation and reduce costs of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems, through the use of voltage source converters (VSC). HVDC transmission systems are more efficient than traditional alternating current (AC) transmission systems for transmitting electricity over long distances while minimizing power losses, making them a cost-effective solution for renewable integration onto the grid. HVDC transmission requires switching power sources from AC to DC and back again to connect to the grid, and VSC is optimal as it can turn itself on and off, enabling consistent grid stability. This FOA is expected to be released in fall 2023, in support of a new DOE initiative to reduce HVDC and long-distance transmission costs by 35% by 2035.

DOE and DOI to Fund Research to Improve Offshore Renewable Energy Deployments

DOE’s WETO and Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) and the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement are collaborating to fund future research to further support durable and environmentally responsible U.S. offshore wind energy and marine energy deployments. The goals of this upcoming funding opportunity (FOA) are to improve the reliability of mooring lines and to reduce noise associated with installing fixed-bottom offshore wind energy foundations. This FOA is expected to be released in or about October 2023.

DOE Announces Upcoming $14.5 Million Funding Opportunity to Advance Marine Energy Research at U.S. Colleges and Universities

WPTO published a notice of intent to issue a $14.5 million funding opportunity to support marine energy research at U.S. institutions of higher education, including minority-serving institutions. Foundational research is critical to advancing novel and new technologies like marine energy and floating offshore wind. WPTO expects to release this funding opportunity in fall 2023 in partnership with WETO—the two offices are collaborating on a topic over assessing and advancing potential synergies between floating offshore wind and/or marine energy and aquaculture development.

DOE to Fund i2X Technical Assistance Projects to Improve Renewable Energy Interconnection

The Interconnection Innovation Exchange (i2X) offers technical assistance to directly support stakeholders in improving interconnection practices and processes for electricity distribution systems and the transmission system, also known as the bulk power system. This year, WETO is funding two technical assistance projects. Siva Powers America Inc. will work with Sandia National Laboratories to develop interconnection processes and guidelines for distributed energy resources. Buffalo Renewables Inc. will work with Sandia and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to analyze methodologies for developing distributed wind-specific capacity maps to better understand how analytical tools can be used to support distributed wind integration. 

Proposed National Guidance on Responding to Munitions and Explosives of Concern in the Federal Register

The U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System has published and invites public comment on draft guidance on Responding to Munitions and Explosives of Concern in U.S. Federal Waters. The draft guidance describes the process recommended to industry when responding to munitions of explosives discovered in Federal waters and on the outer continental shelf during the development of offshore energy installations. Comments will be accepted through September 25, 2023.