USA | Strategic Offshore Wind implementation
This week offered the chance to gain reacquaintance, and in significant detail, with the dynamic offshore wind sector in the United States, building on an insightful week with BOEM at Sterling as far back as 2016.
Since then political vicissitudes notwithstanding things have progressed and in recent years and the opportunity for re- engagement with those designated experts driving the US sector forwards.
?
This training was for a sister organisation. ?I can't breach commercial confidentialities of course - but projects are going through the consenting side and we've seen impressive figures being paid for auctions, especially in the New York and it’s onwards to implementation, financial close - and build out.
Safety is always top priority and paramount in an industry where we are looking at gargantuan structures over 300 metres ?- higher than ?three football pitches – and place them in a harsh offshore wind environment. Water and electricity are a challenging combination, as every school child knows.
?
It's not an easy ask. Rigour is vital but we've shown in the UK that we can successfully overcome them, leading to a sector deal analysed at length during the sessions. The UK however, with around 14 GW already operational, can offer considerable real world experience and it is good to share some of the solutions and standards emanating from our side of the Atlantic.
?
This week has seen progress stateside in Maine, then next up is the Gulf of Mexico and interesting sectoral combinations in the wake of project Tampen coming online.
The combination of oil and gas interests who are looking at decommissioning and repurposing certain US assets.
In this new world strategic thinking is required, one where oil and gas operations are net zero oriented and where carbon capture and storage meets floating wind.
In the United States ports such as Galveston may be extremely well placed for future developments.
So, thank you to the well informed United States stakeholders for such challenging and well informed engagement good luck in all your endeavors.?Feel free to join with me and over three thousand sectoral stakeholders at the moderated experts' group;?https://bit.ly/3gHQa0V
?
??????????????????????????????????????????????Offshore Wind and Hydrogen
?
?