Offshore Renewable Energy – USA

A presentation made to the SUT Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics Committee(OSIG) and Offshore Renewables Committee (OR) of SUT-US on August 30, 2018 is shown below.

  • Falling renewable power costs signal a real paradigm shift in the competitiveness of different power generation options. This includes cheaper electricity from renewables as a whole, as well as the very low costs now being attained from the best solar PV and onshore wind projects.
  • This talk presents historical data and trends for electricity costs produced by offshore turbines.  The big picture of future offshore renewable energy developments in the US will be presented.
  • —Regulations and Permitting—Financing a New Type of Market —Infrastructure (Ports and Fabrication, Installation, New Vessel Types) —High Maintenance Costs (New Vessel Types) —Technical Challenges of Grid Interconnection —Poor Existing Supply Chain and Offshore Wind Expertise —The Jones Act and Lack of Existing In-Country Installation Vessels —Aesthetic Issues, Radar Interference, Wildlife Concerns