Offshore Wind in the US - A Proposed Framework

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, US Department of Energy and General Electric just released this report entitled
A Framework for Offshore Wind Energy Development in the United States . The report lays out an agenda for tapping the estimated 900,000 megawatts of offshore wind power in the United States. In a press release accompanying the report, GE Research Engineer Jim Lyons said:

“Tapping into offshore wind energy, a free fuel source that is not impacted by fluctuating prices or volatile fuel import schedules, can offer long-term competitive electricity costs,” said Jim Lyons, GE Chief Research Engineer. “At the same time, it will provide the U.S. with a means to add additional renewable energy into the Nation’s electricity mix. Further technology development will be key to this effort, particularly in deep waters where conditions are beyond the reach of current technology. The Framework recognizes the need for a cost-effective evolution from today’s near-shore, shallow water sites to the future’s more remote, deeper water facilities.”

It will be interesting to see how this framework influences offshore wind development in the U.S.