The Energy Department today released the first National Offshore Wind Energy Grid Interconnection Study that investigated the key economic and technological factors that will influence the integration of offshore wind energy onto the national grid.
Wind Energy Technologies Office
September 3, 2014
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The Energy Department today released the first National Offshore Wind Energy Grid Interconnection Study (NOWEGIS). The NOWEGIS investigated the key economic and technological factors that will influence the integration of offshore wind energy onto the national grid. NOWEGIS suggests that the United States has sufficient offshore wind energy resources to legitimize the installation of at least 54 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity and that the appropriate high-voltage technologies already exist for the interconnection of this offshore wind energy. At the national level, the NOWEGIS estimates that 54 GW of offshore wind energy could reduce the national annual electricity production costs by approximately $7.68 billion–corresponding to approximately $41/MWh of offshore wind added to the grid–helping justify the high initial funding of offshore wind projects. (Note this this represents operations costs and does not include capital costs.)
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