A Supply Chain Road Map for Offshore Wind Energy in the United States

Shields, Matt, Jeremy Stefek, Frank Oteri, Sabina Maniak, Matilda Kreider, Elizabeth Gill, Ross Gould, Courtney Malvik, Sam Tirone, Eric Hines.
2023. A Supply Chain Road Map for Offshore Wind Energy in the United States. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
NREL/TP-5000-84710. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23osti/84710.pdf.

How the Executive Summary begins...

quote The offshore wind energy industry in the United States has been gaining momentum for several years as the project pipeline has expanded, states have established procurement targets, and initial investments have been made in ports and manufacturing facilities. These efforts helped lead to the Biden administration’s announcement of a national offshore wind energy target to install 30 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. This announcement not only characterized deployment goals but also identified the need for a domestic supply chain, local workforce, and energy and environmental justice as part of a new offshore wind industry. There is widespread agreement that a domestic supply chain will be critical for the sustainable growth of offshore wind energy in the United States; however, there is a general uncertainty about the scope of such a supply chain, the development time frames needed to build critical resources, the level of investment required, the potential benefits that will be available to local communities and workers, and the significance of gaps in existing manufacturing, port, vessel, or workforce infrastructure on deployment targets. In this report, the authors describe how a fully domestic offshore wind energy supply chain could develop. We summarize the major barriers that could prevent or delay supply chain expansion and present potential solutions that could help overcome these challenges. We describe the major factors that need to be considered to develop resilient, sustainable, and equitable manufacturing capabilities in the United States. Finally, we present a scenario for a domestic supply chain that estimates the number of required major component manufacturing facilities, ports, and vessels that would need to be developed by 2030 to support an annual deployment of 4–6 GW. This deployment rate would put the nation on a pathway to installing 110 GW by 2050 primarily using domestically produced components. This scenario illustrates the level of investment, development time, and workforce growth that could be required to develop a domestic supply chain. We demonstrate that if individual states leverage their existing manufacturing capabilities to contribute to the offshore wind energy sector, this conceptual supply chain would generate significant workforce and economic benefits throughout the United States, not just in coastal locations with active offshore wind energy programs. The results are intended to provide information to federal and state governments, economic development agencies, organized labor, project developers, manufacturers, and community representatives to facilitate supply chain planning and decision-making. The following sections identify key actions that could help to develop a domestic supply chain and summarize the analysis work detailed in this report (which helps to inform the list of actions).

... and how it ends.

quote It will take time to build a domestic offshore wind supply chain. As a result, there is an urgency to invest in supply chain resources if they are going to contribute to the 30-GW-by-2030 target. Despite this urgency, it will still be critical to meaningfully engage with key stakeholders, including host communities and other groups that will be impacted by new supply chain development. We are faced with a unique opportunity to create a substantial domestic manufacturing industry that can be tailored to support the energy transition, address unique U.S. market conditions, create a stable pipeline of well-paid jobs with robust apprenticeship programs, and maximize benefits to historically disadvantaged communities. Seizing this opportunity will require effective communication and coordination throughout the offshore wind energy sector to make strategic investment decisions in a timely manner while incorporating perspectives from these stakeholders. If we can develop this supply chain in parallel with deploying the first wave of projects in the United States, the domestic industry will be well-positioned to reliably support the expansion of offshore wind energy to help facilitate the transition to a decarbonized economy.

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: You know how I feel about it Rinse... I think it's all excellent, the thing that irks me about this and solar is that China essentially owns the supply chain for it. So, 85-87% of all solar and wind power proceeds go to China...

Typical RWNJ... dominated by their feelings or emotions, instead of using reason and logic.

The only way to develop a domestic offshore wind energy supply chain is to proceed with offshore wind energy development and provide investor and contract incentives to build up the domestic supply chain as "we go."

I have not studied "A Supply Chain Road Map for Offshore Wind Energy in the United States."

It has almost 200 pages of text and diagrams.

It includes 52 references to the Inflation Reduction Act, which has been touted as the largest federal commitment to date, for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation.

Offshore wind energy development promises Climate Mitigation by providing climate-friendly energy... energy that comes with significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, compared to coal, oil and natural gas.

It's not a "no-brainer"... just a "brainer."

RWNJs gonna RWNJ

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 10-22-2023).]

[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 10-25-2023).]

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 10-25-2023).]

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: ... the thing that irks me about this and solar is that China essentially owns the supply chain for it. So, 85-87% of all solar and wind power proceeds go to China...

As with EV batteries which really pollute the world gathering the needed elements, not to mention slave labor, child labor, and unsafe labor conditions.

[This message has been edited by cliffw (edited 10-25-2023).]

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 10-25-2023).]