US Start-Up Secures Funding for Concrete Offshore Wind Foundation

The U.S. National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium has allocated a grant to the start-up RCAM Technologies to develop its modular concrete offshore wind foundation.

The National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium selected RCAM Technologies for contract negotiation as part of its second round of wind research and development projects.

RCAM’s award, which is one of two totaling circa USD 1.8 million, has a goal of proving the feasibility and advance the design of the startup’s modular concrete foundation and heavy-lift-vessel alternative.

The two-year project scope includes the conceptual and preliminary designs, and feasibility assessment of the fixed-bottom, suction-bucket support structure and heavy-lift-vessel alternative for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 15MW reference turbine.

According to RCAM, the advanced foundation lowers the cost of support structures, develops an alternative solution for heavy-lift vessels, mitigates installation noise concerns, readily scales to larger turbines and deeper installations, and increases local content, manufacturing, and jobs.

“I’m incredibly honored that the consortium selected RCAM and our extremely talented project partners alongside two legendary pioneers in offshore wind: NREL and Principle Power,” said Jason Cotrell, CEO of RCAM Technologies.

Project partners include WSP USA, NREL, Esteyco, RRD Engineering, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. NETSCo, CATHIE, Structural Technologies, University of Delaware, Tufts University, and the University of California Irvine will provide advisory and technical support.