Our topic for this episode is Technical Standards for Offshore Wind, and our guest is Walt Musial, Manager of Offshore Wind at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or NREL. 

Walt was in Washington, D.C. recently to chair a meeting of the Offshore Wind Technical Advisory Panel, which is where we caught up for this interview. We begin by discussing how Walt and NREL first started getting involved in offshore wind, and then we get into the history of offshore wind technical standards. We discuss the need for U.S.-specific standards and offshore-specific standards. Walt shares his vision for the U.S. Offshore Wind Standards Initiative, describes the process that’s in place, and we close by discussing next steps and how people can get involved. 

Show references include: 

• Offshore Compliance Recommended Practices (OCRP) 2012 
• 2019 International Partnering Forum (IPF) 

Recorded October 17, 2018. Published October 18, 2018. 

California, the world’s fifth largest economy, has some of the best offshore wind resources in U.S. waters. The state’s ambitious climate legislation, SB-100, calls for 100 percent clean, carbon-free electricity by 2045. This creates an opportunity for floating offshore wind to contribute to California’s clean energy mix. California State Assembly member David Chiu joins host Brandon Burke to discuss California’s AB-525 OSW legislation and the opportunities it will provide the state. 

Credits:  

Content, audio engineering, editing, and sound design by Brandon Burke.   

Music by Brandon Burke with contributions from Nathan Ezzo, Steven Reilly, and Miles Taylor. 

Join host Brandon Burke and guests Nse Esema (NYC EDC), Teaera Strum (Strum Contracting), and Damian Bednarz (EnBW North America) to discuss intersections between offshore wind, diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice, through the lens of NYC’s South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and Sunset Park community. This episode also touches on what MWBEs and small businesses can do to position themselves to be ready to participate in the supply chains of U.S. OSW projects. 

Credits: 

Content, audio engineering, editing, and sound design by Brandon Burke. Music by Brandon Burke, with contributions from Nathan Ezzo, Steven Reilly, and Miles Taylor. 

My guest this episode is Lars Thaaning Pedersen, Chief Executive Officer of Vineyard Wind, soon to be the nation’s first utility-scale offshore wind project. We begin our conversation with Lars and his background in the industry and with the company Vineyard Wind. We then devote most of our conversation to the Vineyard Wind project itself, its timeframe, where it stands in the permitting process, and some really interesting challenges it has faced and how it has addressed them. We close with a look at the economics of the offshore wind industry and some of the factors that affect it. Lars and I recorded this conversation at the end of May, 2019 – since that time the project has continued to progress through the permitting process and is anticipated to be only a couple of months away from starting construction. 

Recorded May 29, 2019. Published July 28, 2019. 

My guest this episode is Alejandro De Hoz, Vice President for Offshore Wind at Avangrid Renewables. We begin with Alejandro’s background and then look at Avangrid Renewables, and its parent company Iberdrola, one of the world’s largest electric power companies. We review Avangrid Renewables’ US offshore wind portfolio including Vineyard Wind, soon to be the first utility-scale offshore wind development in federal waters. Alejandro shares some of his perspective on the industry, comparing the European experience with the US experience and touching on port infrastructure, supply chain development and the workforce, and we close with Avangrid Renewable’s future plans. 

Recorded May 28, 2019. Published July 24, 2019.