Early progress in European Offshore Wind Energy over the last decade provides a glimpse into the vast potential of the global offshore resource. For more than eight years, NREL has worked with the Department of Energy to become an international leader in offshore wind energy research.
NREL’s offshore wind capabilities focus on critical areas that reflect the long-term needs of the offshore wind energy industry and the U.S. Department of Energy including:
- Offshore Design Tools and Methods
- Offshore Standards and Testing
- Energy Analysis of Offshore Systems
- Offshore Wind Resource Characterization
- Grid Integration of Offshore Wind
Key Research
NREL documented the status of offshore wind energy in the United States in its recent publication, Large-Scale Offshore Wind in the United States: Assessment of Opportunities and Barriers. The report provides DOE and the U.S. wind industry with a foundation from which to build a national strategy for offshore wind energy development and to set goals that would lead to offshore wind energy becoming a significant contributor to our electric power portfolio
The various research and innovation publications on offshore wind from NREL are provided here – http://www.nrel.gov/wind/offshore_wind.html
