The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) is seeking feedback from stakeholders and potential contractors who can provide valuable information regarding offshore meteorological (MET) tower deployment.
Specifically, MEA is reaching out to stakeholders to gather information relevant to the design, manufacture and ultimate deployment of MET tower. The data gathered may be used to support the deployment of a met tower on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), off the coast of Maryland, to gather wind resource, atmospheric and other data.
MEA, in its effort to support the development of offshore wind energy, is gathering information regarding innovative technology, methods, scientific benefits and industry capability to respond to this need.
For this purpose, MEA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) , which contains a series of questions that stakeholders are invited to consider, regarding the design, installation and siting of a MET tower to support development in the Maryland Wind Energy Area – an area of the OCS, 10 miles east of Ocean City, which the United States Department of Interior has designated for the siting of wind turbines. This area can support the deployment of up to 1,000 megawatts of wind energy.
Director Abigail Ross Hopper noted that the RFI will “ensure that MEA has the broadest possible input and most up-to-date thinking on MET towers as we make critical decisions about whether to advance a MET tower program, and if so, in what fashion” .
The RFI contains a brief history of Maryland’s offshore wind energy efforts, a statement of purpose and twenty-four (24) distinct questions about technology, siting and funding. Respondents who wish to answer the RFI and submit follow-up questions to MEA about related opportunities may do so in their response when submitting answers to the RFI questions.
Information gathered from this RFI will provide important information and move Maryland further along the path towards commercial scale offshore wind energy.
Press release, April 9, 2014; Image: MEA