The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled its Offshore Wind Energy Strategy (OWES), which outlines its initiatives to achieve President Joseph Biden's target of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2030 with the goal to generate 110 GW or more by 2050.
"Deploying 30 GW of offshore wind would provide enough power for 10 million homes, support 77,000 jobs, and spur $12 billion per year in direct private investment," the agency stated in its March 29 press release.
The deployment of 30 GW of offshore wind energy could supply electricity to 10 million households, create 77,000 jobs, and stimulate $12 billion in annual direct private investment, the agency states in press release.
OWES categorizes its initiatives into four "pillars," the release reports. The first pillar, “NOW,” aims to reduce offshore wind costs from $73/MWh to $51/MWh by 2030; create a domestic supply chain; and ensure sustainable deployment of fixed-bottom offshore wind, according to the release.
The second, “FORWARD,” seeks to achieve the Floating Offshore Wind Shot goal of decreasing costs by over 70% to $45/mWh by 2035; establish U.S. leadership in floating offshore wind design and manufacturing; and ensure equitable deployment of floating offshore wind, the release reports.
The third pillar, “CONNECT,” focuses on developing reliable and resilient transmission solutions for large-scale offshore wind projects; and the fourth, “TRANSFORM,” will expand offshore wind co-generation technologies to promote electrification and decarbonization, according to the DOE release.
“The transformative potential of offshore wind energy is critical to achieving President Biden’s bold clean energy goals,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in the press release.
“As our Offshore Wind Energy Strategy shows," she said, "we’re leveraging all resources across our department to harness this clean and reliable American energy source, which will create tens of thousands of good-paying, union jobs and revitalize coastal communities.”