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The Departments of Energy (DOE), Interior, Commerce, and Transportation released a report summarizing their progress toward the goals of the Floating Offshore Wind Shot™, an interagency initiative to drive U.S. leadership in design, deployment, and manufacturing. The report shows that, since the initiative’s launch in September 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration has dedicated over $950 million in planning, leasing actions, research, development, demonstration, and deployment in an effort to unlock the full potential of floating offshore wind in the United States.
DOE announced five winners of the second phase of the FLoating Offshore Wind ReadINess (FLOWIN) Prize, which aims to help unlock the nation’s offshore wind energy potential by accelerating manufacturing and deployment of U.S. floating offshore wind energy technologies. The FLOWIN Prize, the first prize funded by WETO, was designed to inspire solutions to some of the biggest supply-chain and execution challenges faced by offshore wind energy, in support of the government’s interagency Floating Offshore Wind Shot.
Each of the Phase Two winners was awarded a cash prize of $450,000, and a $100,000 voucher that can be used for technical support at a DOE national laboratory to refine their designs in the third and final phase of the competition.
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Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Collegiate Wind Competition (CWC)! This year, the California State University Maritime Academy team claimed the top spot, showcasing innovation in wind energy. The Collegiate Wind Competition is an annual event that prepares future wind energy professionals through hands-on experience and project development. The 2024 competition focused on offshore wind energy, challenging participants to explore its role in a diverse power system and propose solutions for integration into hybrid systems.
Congratulations to the winners, and to all the 2024 teams! Applications for CWC 2025 are now open, providing another chance for students to gain valuable experience.
Offshore wind exists in harsh, isolated ocean environments, presenting unique challenges for operating and maintaining wind turbines and systems. Today, WETO released a roadmap assessing current operation and maintenance practices for U.S. offshore wind farms and future challenges and needs, as well as specific recommendations for technology innovations that could help address the identified needs and gaps. The R&D opportunities outlined in the roadmap could help the U.S. offshore wind industry become more cost effective and sustainable with enhanced performance and reliability.
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy intends to issue multiple funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) totaling over $100 million to modernize the grid and prepare the electricity system to support a clean energy economy for all Americans. One of these FOAs will support the development and demonstration of technologies and market tools for better integration of distributed energy resources including solar, wind, and energy storage.
DOE's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains requests information (RFI) on clean energy supply chain data and analysis methods. This RFI is an opportunity for industry and other stakeholders to highlight specific supply chain gaps, vulnerabilities, and/or challenges impacting various components of clean energy technologies, including wind energy. Submit responses by 5:00 p.m. ET on June 10, 2024.
Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service released additional guidance on the domestic content bonus provision enacted by the Inflation Reduction Act. For clean energy projects to receive the bonus, all their steel and iron products must be produced in the United States, and a minimum percentage of their manufactured products and components must also be produced in the United States.
With the support of DOE, KidWind called upon Kindergarten–8th grade students from around the nation to create artwork based on the theme of “Beautiful Wind Energy.” 18 winners, two from each grade, have been chosen and will receive $200. Their work was shown at this year’s CLEANPOWER 2024 conference in Minneapolis. Winning artwork may also be displayed at DOE’s headquarters in Washington D.C., where thousands of energy officials pass by daily—they're sure to be big fans of these fresh works of art! 🌬️
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Learn about the Wind Resource Database recently launched by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Designed to support the transition to a clean, secure, and affordable energy future, the online platform captures information about atmospheric forces that affect how wind turbines perform and how much energy they capture. A primary feature of the Wind Resource Database is an update to the Wind Integration National Dataset Toolkit, which provides users with long-term, detailed wind speed data across the United States.
In the 1990s, the wind turbine industry was still young. Blade designers had settled on fiberglass as the best material to use (versus wood, metal, or other alternatives), but manufacturing methods and the structure of blades were still immature. Learn how WETO’s investments in blade and drivetrain testing facilities provided crucial knowledge and expertise to the ongoing expansion of commercial wind power—both domestically and globally.
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Training: May 22–23 & 29–30, 2024, Virtual
The Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute and NREL, with support from DOE, will conduct a virtual Wind Energy & Wildlife Training. The training will address science and policies related to wind energy and wildlife, with a focus on Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
Conference: May 29–31, 2024, Florence, Italy
TORQUE 2024 is set to showcase the latest advancements in renewable energy research and development, with national labs leading the charge. From breakthroughs in wind turbine controls to innovative grid integration solutions, attendees can expect insightful presentations from renowned researchers at the forefront of the energy transition.
Webinar: May 30, 2024, at 1 p.m. ET, Virtual
In this webinar, hosted by DOE's WINDExchange initiative at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 30, 2024, experts from NREL will introduce attendees to key concepts in end-of-service processes for wind energy technologies and infrastructure, including decommissioning, repowering, and recycling.
Webinar: June 17, 2024, at 1–2:30 p.m. ET, Virtual
Applying for loan and grant awards to invest in distributed wind energy just got easier. Join staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and NREL for a virtual 90-minute webinar designed to help rural small businesses prepare successful applications.
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