Abstract
Offshore wind energy in the Gulf has the potential to be a viable clean energy option to help the region meet the U.S. goals to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Many technical challenges are discussed but most can be resolved with engineering solutions that are available to the industry.
Background: This study builds on previous work conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) (Musial et al. 2020a; Musial et al. 2020b; Musial and Greco 2020). It was commissioned by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) under an interagency agreement to carry out a regional assessment of offshore wind energy potential in the Gulf of Mexico and provide an updated assessment of wind resource, siting, hurricanes, and infrastructure considerations associated with future offshore wind energy development. It is intended to inform both federal and Gulf state energy planning and to provide information to other stakeholders from industry and the public sector. In cooperation with another ongoing BOEM-funded study, NREL is performing a national assessment of offshore wind energy costs that will include a complete cost assessment for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. This study is scheduled to be released in April 2024.
Objectives: The objectives of this study are to:
• Describe the regional benefits and challenges for offshore wind energy deployment in the Gulf of Mexico
• Provide a description of the process used to determine site suitability for offshore wind farms and define wind energy areas for commercial leasing,
• Document and evaluate the updated offshore wind energy resource database created by NREL for the Gulf of Mexico,
• Discuss state-of-the-art approach for designing wind turbines in hurricane prone regions and the methods used to mitigate the challenges brought on by hurricanes (e.g. insurance).
• Identify challenges and opportunities with the regional supporting infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico (e.g., points of interconnection, ports) that could be used in offshore wind turbine deployment.
• Describe other technical challenges such as low wind speed turbine designs and jacket foundations needed for softer soil conditions.