A US Department of Energy-backed initiative has started work on a roadmap to outline the benefits of the local supply chain in accelerating offshore wind development in the country.
The project is a partnership between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Business Network for Offshore Wind, the State of Maryland and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), as well as DoE.
NREL, the Business Network for Offshore Wind and also DNV will collaborate on the project.
The Network will gather data through its Supply Chain Connect tool, a database used by developers to search for suppliers and by vendors to introduce themselves to industry.
The trio will then evaluate this updated database to prepare a detailed analysis of resources and gaps of current suppliers and characterise the benefits of a domestic supply chain that leverages these existing strengths.
The results of the $700,000 effort will be shared, with initial results expected in the autumn of this year and the full report published by the end of 2022.
NREL senior offshore wind analyst Matt Shields said: “Building a domestic offshore wind supply chain is a key step in achieving the cost reductions, economic development, and sustainable industry needed to meet DoE’s goal of 30GW by 2030,.
“This project will help the US leverage existing manufacturing and workforce capabilities to grow a network of domestic suppliers.”
Business Network for Offshore Wind president and chief executive Liz Burdock said: “This study comes at a critical time in US market development.
“Identifying key resources and gaps is paramount to growing a local offshore wind supply chain as well as meeting state and federal offshore wind targets and ensuring US economic benefits from offshore wind development.”
NYSERDA president and chief executive Doreen Harris said: “NYSERDA is pleased to support this important data collection effort, which will help build the connections needed for a strong supply chain in support of the offshore wind industry in New York and throughout the US.
“Building a domestic supply chain will help ensure that our collective advancement of offshore wind results in thousands of good-paying jobs and billions of dollars in private investment throughout this rapidly expanding industry.”
DoE Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman said: “Offshore wind will be an important element of meeting President Biden’s goal to achieve a 100% clean energy economy with net-zero emissions by 2050.
“This project will help us develop a robust domestic offshore wind supply chain that will support tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and spur significant national and regional economic growth.”