Offshore Wind Wire

By William Morgan

The University of Delaware announced last week that it will work with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to study potential offshore wind sites and develop training facilities for the industry.

Under the agreement, Delaware will receive $500,000 over the next five years for its research, according to a press release.  The school has already been heavily involved in the research and public outreach surround NRG Bluewater Wind’s proposed wind farm off the Delaware coast.

The partnership calls for the development test procedures and test turbines, as well as a method to predict the cost of electricity from offshore wind.

“By combining the university’s educational expertise with NREL’s wind technology expertise, we can train future wind energy professionals to provide a skilled workforce for the offshore wind industry,” said Walt Musial, of NREL’s National Wind Technology Center, in a press release.