At least USD 22bn needed to set up US offshore wind supply chain

January 26 (Renewables Now) - Developing a US offshore wind supply chain that can support 4 GW-6 GW of projects annually will require at least USD 22 billion (EUR 20.2bn) of investments in ports, large installation vessels, and manufacturing facilities by 2030, according to a newly-released road map.

The National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium (NOWRDC) on Monday published a study that is a partnership between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Business Network for Offshore Wind, DNV, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the US Department of Energy (DoE). The NREL-led study looks into barriers to supply chain expansion and outlines potential actions to overcome the challenges.

“The opportunity to create a resilient and equitable domestic supply chain is one of the most exciting aspects of our offshore wind goals,” said NREL senior offshore wind analyst Matt Shields. “This supply chain would increase our chances of meeting the 30 GW by 2030 target, create a huge number of jobs and economic benefits, and most importantly, position the sector for sustainable growth beyond 2030,” added Shields.

According to the report, it could be possible to create a full domestic supply chain in between six and nine years. Additional development could be required after 2030 to support floating offshore wind.

Elements of the report’s supply chain scenario are in the table below:

Parameter	Number
Fixed-bottom wind marshaling ports	8
Floating wind integration ports	2
Dedicated wind turbine installation vessels	4-6
Dedicated heavy-lift vessels	4-6
US-flagged specialised feeder barges	4-8
Manufacturing facilities	34
Development time frame	6-9 years

The report finds that US developers will still need to import components to achieve the 30-GW target while the domestic supply chain gains traction. Components for about 15 GW-25 GW of projects would have to be imported for the target to be met.

The report can be viewed here - https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23osti/84710.pdf

(USD 1 = EUR 0.919)