By 2030, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a new and ambitious plan. The DOE is aiming to get 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore-cited wind power up and running. The DOE’s new national goal for wind power production is ambitious, but it is expected to generate many positive improvements. The large project will be a source of new jobs for up to 77,000 Americans, and it will offset nearly 80 million metric tons in emissions. If you are curious to learn more about all the benefits that the new renewable energy goal has in store, the helpful staff at Kurz Wind are here to fill you in.
Wind Energy in the U.S.
The U.S. has traditionally been one of the leading countries in the world for wind energy production. With the launch of the new project, the U.S. aims to create an even bigger leader on the world stage for alternative energy. Currently, the U.S. has about 338 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of power before the start of the new 2030 renewable energy project. As of 2020, wind power accounted for more than 8% of all utility-scale electric production in the country. A “utility-scale” project is considered a wind site that produces at least 1,000 kW or one megawatt in power. There are many good reasons for the DOE to adopt more wind energy across the country. Wind power is a valuable source of power for the fact that it does not need water, which makes it the only type of alternative energy to have that capability. The fact that wind power does not need water also means that it is a good source of energy in hot and dry locations such as the desert Southwest.
Nationwide, wind is produced in about 38 states. Wind power comes from more than 50 manufacturing plants that make turbines across the country. The wind industry is a significant source of jobs and employment. With the new offshore wind project, the DOE will create even more jobs. The potential to expand upon the country’s renewable energy portfolio is significant, and offshore turbines may provide more electric power to the local grids than they can support. Having the ability to produce that much energy means that offshore projects that are located near cities can offset even more carbon emissions. The added capacity from more offshore projects will be sufficient to power millions of homes and businesses. It will make the U.S. more competitive on the global scene for renewable energy production, and it will lessen the need for traditional electricity in larger metro areas.
Project Funding
To carry out its project, the DOE has also stated that it has funding secured for the project. The agency has access to $3 billion in funds for the renewable energy project, which is made available through the Title 17 Innovative Energy Guarantee Program. The agency also plans to work with related parties to achieve its goal, including offshore wind companies, funders, and other developers.
Research and Development
Through another source of funding called the National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium, the DOE has secured another nearly $10 million for the construction of up to 15 more research and development (R&D) projects. The additional funding is made available by the National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium. The DOE’s wind energy project was selected because it will create an innovative support structure, use supply chains that are critical for developing advanced support structures, provide more opportunities for advancing innovation within electrical systems, and providing solutions to avoid impacting wildlife.
With the new project planned, the U.S. aims to be the world’s leading energy producer by 2030. Currently, the U.S. is the second-largest wind producer after China. If you want to learn more, contact the experts at Kurz Wind today.
Categorised in: Latest Wind Power Industry News - Kurz Wind Division
This post was written by Matt Passannante
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