Lake Erie Offshore Wind Demo Project In Line For Another Federal Grant

The U.S. Department of Energy is planning to award a USD 3.7 million grant to the Lake Erie Energy Development Corp. (LEEDCo) for the development of the 20.7MW offshore wind demonstration project in Lake Erie, according to local media.

This would be the third DOE’s grant for the project, bringing the federal backing to a total of USD 10.7 million.

The new grant would enable LEEDCo to press on with further R&D and permitting processes and to bring the project to the offshore construction and O&M stage.

LEEDCo and Fred. Olsen Renewables, a Norwegian wind developer who joined the project in 2015, have to provide a USD 1.9 million cost share in order to get the third grant, according to a memo DOE sent to the Ohio Congressional delegation.

David Karpinski, LEEDCo’s vice president, said that the grant would take the company through another year of detailed engineering work.

The 6-turbine demo site is slated for commissioning by the end of 2018, Karpinski said.

Offshore WIND Staff