Proposed offshore wind farm snags federal funding
The World
By Chelsea Davis
May 7, 2014
COOS BAY — The U.S. Department of Energy has chosen a floating wind farm proposed for the deep waters off Coos Bay for up to $47 million in matching grant funds over the next four years.
In February, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management gave Principle Power the go-ahead to craft plans for the WindFloat Pacific project, a 30-megawatt floating offshore wind farm proposed 18 miles off the coast of Coos Bay.
The Seattle-based company is proposing to site five floating “WindFloat” units within a 15-square-mile area in about 1,400 feet of water. Each unit will carry a 6-megawatt offshore wind turbine. Electrical cables connect the units, and a single cable would bring the power onshore.
If the project receives final approval, it would be the first offshore wind project on the West Coast and the first in the nation to use floating structures to support wind generation in the Outer Continental Shelf.
The project has been applauded by Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, as well as Rep. Peter DeFazio.
“(Wednesday’s) announcement is a win-win for Coos Bay,” DeFazio said in a news release. “Not only will this federal grant support good-paying jobs on the Oregon coast, it also promotes the renewable energy industry. With this grant, we are making a strong statement about our commitment to cutting carbon emissions and given this week’s U.S. National Climate Assessment, this commitment could not come at a better time.”
In addition to the Coos Bay project, the DOE announced two other projects off the coast of Virginia and New Jersey would each also receive up to $47 million in federal funding.
Following DOE's announcement on Wednesday, Principle Power and Deepwater Wind announced an agreement to complete development of the wind farm project. Deepwater Wind is an offshore wind developer. Its Block Island Wind Farm off the Rhode Island coast could be the nation's first offshore wind farm.
Principle Power has also operated a WindFloat prototype off the coast of Portugal since 2011.
The DOE announced seven offshore wind demonstration projects in December 2012. They each received up to $4 million to finish engineering, design and permitting phases. At the time, the DOE foreshadowed Wednesday’s announcement, saying only up to three of the projects would snag the $47 million in funding.
Wednesday’s announcement left four out of the loop: projects in Maine, Ohio and Texas
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