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Title: Floating Offshore Wind in Hawaii: Potential for Jobs and Economic Impacts from Three Future Scenarios

Thesis/Dissertation ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1248567· OSTI ID:1248567
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Construction of the first offshore wind power plant in the United States began in 2015, off the coast of Rhode Island, using fixed platform structures that are appropriate for shallow seafloors, like those located off the East Coast and mid-Atlantic. However, floating platforms, which have yet to be deployed commercially, will likely need to be anchored to the deeper seafloor if deployed in Hawaiian waters. To analyze the employment and economic potential for floating offshore wind off Hawaii's coasts, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management commissioned the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to analyze two hypothetical deployment scenarios for Hawaii: 400 MW of offshore wind by 2050 and 800 MW of offshore wind by 2050. The results of this analysis can be used to better understand the general scale of economic opportunities that could result from offshore wind development.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1248567
Report Number(s):
NREL/TP-5000-65481
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English