US Launches Funding Call to Identify Standardised Offshore Wind Transmission Equipment

September 13, 2024, by Adrijana Buljan

The US Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) has issued a funding call for up to USD 1.25 million to set up a consortium that will identify standardised offshore wind transmission equipment specifications to support coordinated procurement in the US.

Managed by GDO and ConnectWerx, the initial funding opportunity is open to specialised independent consultants and/or academic entities with expertise to determine opportunities and strategies to standardise transmission development and advance offshore wind deployment along the US Atlantic Coast.

The Grid Deployment Office will fund one principal investigator over an initial one-year performance period to assemble and lead a consortium of specialised technical experts that could consist of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), offshore wind developers, regional transmission organisations and independent system operators, transmission owners, utilities, and entities with experience in offshore wind standards and procurements.

The consortium will primarily provide guidance and develop best practices for the Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission to promote efficient interconnection of projects that may be built by different vendors using equipment from various manufacturers across numerous time zones.

The work involves developing ideas to inform near-term and future-state offshore wind solicitation processes and, while focused on the Atlantic region, it is expected to benefit the US offshore wind industry as a whole and may inform future state action across coastal regions, according to GDO.

“Offshore wind energy is already powering more than 100,000 homes along the east coast, with the potential to grow, while enhancing grid reliability”, said Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, US Department of Energy. “We are working to accelerate offshore wind deployment as quickly and safely as possible. Standardizing transmission equipment used to connect offshore wind projects will give us a huge head start in bringing these systems online faster.”