The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled the nine Phase One winners of the FLoating Offshore Wind ReadINess (FLOWIN) Prize. The three-phase competition was designed to bring together floating wind platform designers, fabricators, and project site developers to address manufacturing and logistics issues, thereby decreasing the cost of the alternative energy source. The primary focus of Phase One was to determine the manufacturing and supply chain challenges to the mass implementation of floating turbine technology. Each Phase One winner will receive $100,000 cash and $75,000 in vouchers for technical support provided by DOE national laboratories.
In a recent quote, Alejandro Moreno, Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said, “The winning teams all demonstrated designs that are realistic and represent progress toward wide-scale, domestic floating offshore wind energy manufacturing and deployment in the United States. They help lay the foundation for a thriving domestic offshore wind energy industry, which can provide clean, renewable energy to millions of American households, support good paying jobs, and revitalize port communities."