Offshore Wind Plugs Energy into Homes and Businesses Back on Shore
Offshore wind turbines have the potential to provide abundant clean energy to heavily populated coastal cities and the larger national grid. But first, the power they generate must be transmitted across miles of ocean waters and coastline, using systems that were not designed to be used this way.
Building on its success with integration from its world-renowned work on utility-scale renewable energy systems to its comprehensive vision for offshore wind development and collaboration with industry partners the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is launching new strategies to plug offshore installations into the grid.
All in a Day s Work
Wind power plants and their associated workforce affect the local and surrounding communities in ways both concrete and indirect. These impacts vary from spending at local businesses to the role that these companies and workers play in the quality of life within the communities.
A new NREL report details the positive long-term economic impact wind plant operation and maintenance workers bring to their communities, providing additional insight into community benefits brought about by wind power development.
Almost 99% of wind turbines in the United States exist in rural areas like the above wind turbines pictured near Dumas, Texas making research on workforce impacts in these