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Research from the BSEE- and DOE-funded Institute Advances Worker Safety and Environmental Sustainability of Offshore Energy Resources
The Department of the Interiors Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) applaud todays announcement from the Ocean Energy Safety Institute (OESI) that it is awarding $2.7 million to fund six wind energy research projects that will help improve the overall efficiency, opertion, and safety of offshore wind energy systems.
Organized under an agreement between BSEE, DOE, and the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), OESI is a world-class program for research and development that brings together industry, national labs, nongovernmental organizations, and academia to support the development of safety, environmental monitoring, and operational improvements related to oil and gas, offshore wind, and marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies. With todays investment, OESI has funded over $7.7 million in research grants to advance the safety of offshore renewable and traditional energy.
"The research facilitated by OESI helps to ensure offshore energy exploration and production remain safe and environmentally sustainable," said BSEE Director Kevin Sligh. "OESIs work leverages the knowledge and skills in the traditional energy operational space to the emerging fields of offshore wind and marine energy. These rapidly developing areas within the national energy portfolio are benefitting from OESIs work."
"Our oceans are a source of abundant clean power and represent significant opportunities to provide reliable domestic energy for American homes and businesses. However, as we develop offshore wind and marine energy technologies, we also aim to be stewards of our natural environment," said Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for EERE. "OESIs important investments ensure were using the best available research to integrate safety and sustainability throughout the lifecycle of offshore renewable energy projects."
"Todays efforts by the Ocean Energy Safety Institute to enhance the performance of U.S. offshore energy, whether it be oil and gas safety, environmental monitoring, or ground-breaking technology development, will benefit our countrys energy security and environmental health far into the future," said Brad Crabtree, Assistant Secretary for FECM. "The Department of Energy benefits greatly by supporting collaboration through the Institutes work."
The wind energy research projects selected for funding will focus on the safe installation, operation, and maintenance of offshore wind energy systems and improving the overall safety of offshore workers. Specifically, the research will help advance technologies that reduce the risk of injuries during personnel transfers, as well as from exposure to other physical hazards. The research will also enhance understanding of site conditions and improve modeling of dynamic loading on turbines. For additional information about the projects selected, see OESIs wind energy announcement page.
The criteria used in the evaluation process are outlined in each request for proposal to ensure transparency and consistency in the selection of research projects. |
