The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded additional funding to three of the seven projects from the Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Funding Opportunity. Dominion Virginia Power, Fishermen’s Energy of New Jersey, and Principle Power will each receive up to $46.7 million over the next four years to advance their projects in the second phase of the funding opportunity. The second phase will include follow-on design, fabrication, and deployment in order to achieve commercial operation by 2017.

Dominion Power will install two 6-MW direct-drive wind turbines off the coast of Virginia Beach on twisted jacket foundations designed by Keystone Engineering of Louisiana. Fishermen’s Energy will install five 5-MW turbines on twisted jacket foundations that will act as a laboratory for researchers to learn about offshore wind and Principle Power will install five 6-MW turbines on semi-submersible platforms in the deep waters off the coast of Coos Bay, Oregon.

With roughly 80% of the U.S. electricity demand originating from coastal states, offshore wind is a crucial renewable resource to be incorporated in the country’s clean energy mix. Designed to reduce the cost of offshore wind energy through the development and deployment of innovative technologies, the Department of Energy's down-selected Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects will contribute towards the U.S. having offshore wind systems ready for commercial operation in U.S. waters by the end of 2017.

Read more about DOE’s Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects.