Letter from the Wind Energy Technologies Office Director

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Offshore wind is setting sail in the United States, charting the course for a new era of wind energy production. As the industry gathers for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Offshore WINDPOWER conference, I’m pleased to draw your attention to the groundbreaking national offshore wind strategy just completed by the Energy Department and Interior Department.

Released in September, the National Offshore Wind Strategy: Facilitating the Development of the Offshore Wind Industry in the United States details the current state of the industry, presents refinements in resource assessment and cost reduction trajectories, and provides a roadmap for how the federal government can support the industry’s future growth and success. The strategy leverages the Wind Vision report, which was released by the Energy Department last year and models a scenario in which offshore wind provides 86 gigawatts of U.S. electricity capacity by 2050.

This fall 2016 edition of the Wind Program Newsletter features a variety of articles about Energy Department activities related to offshore wind energy. One exciting example is our funding of a portfolio of offshore wind technology demonstration projects that are providing valuable technological advances and lessons to benefit this industry.

With so much going on in offshore wind energy—not the least of which is America’s first offshore wind farm set to become operational in the very near future—there’s never been a more exciting time to be part of this industry. On behalf of my colleagues and everyone at the Wind Energy Technologies Office, we are honored to play a key role in realizing the potential of offshore wind energy in the United States.

Sincerely,

José Zayas
Director, Wind Energy Technologies Office
@EnergyZayas