US launches drive to compose standards for offshore wind industry
A three-year project to develop a set of standards for the offshore wind sector has been launched by US government and energy organisations. The Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Business Network for Offshore Wind and the American Wind Energy Association are collaborating on the initiative. Technical sub-working groups overseen by a panel of industry stakeholders are to draw up the guidelines -- which should reflect industry best practices -- ready for recognition by the American National Standards Institute.

The U.S. has launched a new initiative to develop a set of standards for the offshore wind sector.

The three-year project is a collaboration between the the Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Business Network for Offshore Wind and the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

An Offshore Wind Technical Advisory Panel comprising industry stakeholders has been formed and will guide the scope of activities for a group of new technical sub-working groups, which will develop the standards.

According to a release from the Governors’ Wind & Solar Energy Coalition, the proposed sub-groups cover the updating of the AWEA’s 2012 offshore compliance recommended practices, floating offshore turbines, geotechnical data requirements and met-ocean requirements for US waters.

The standards, which will be recognized by the American National Standards Institute, will allow BOEM to “adopt better requirements that reflect the latest industry best practices.”

“These standards and guidelines will form the basis for BOEM to establish transparent compliance requirements that will help industry in turn provide safe and reliable offshore wind facilities that serve the US electric supply,” said Walt Musial, NREL principal engineer and chairman of the Offshore Wind Standards working group.

NREL will host a webinar on September 26 to provide information on the work to stakeholders and potential working group participants.