Offshore Wind Webinars - Winter/Spring 2021

The Gulf of Maine has some of the highest sustained wind speeds in the world. This makes offshore wind, a source of clean, renewable energy, a critical tool for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by reducing Maine’s nation-leading dependence on oil, aiding the expansion of clean transportation and clean heating solutions, and keeping in Maine some of the $4 billion Maine people spend annually to import fossil fuels.

Maine is also uniquely prepared to create good-paying trades and technology jobs across the state in offshore wind, by advancing the University of Maine’s innovative floating offshore wind technology, forging public-private partnerships for research, development and workforce training, and investing in Maine’s deep-water ports. In fact, some studies have indicated the offshore wind industry represents a nearly $70 billion opportunity in the next decade.

  • The Research Array will allow Maine to conduct further research and answer critical questions about floating platforms – from fishing to environmental impacts - prior to potential commercial developments. The first floating project of its kind proposed for the U.S., is essentially a smaller-scale model of an offshore wind project. Expected to have no more than 12 floating turbines over 16 square miles, it is a fraction the size of commercial-scale projects proposed elsewhere.
  • The Maine Offshore Wind Roadmap process will take a broad, stakeholder-based, statewide perspective to chart the best path to develop Maine offshore wind responsibly and cost-effectively for the State. The “roadmap” is an economic development plan which will recommend policies, strategies, and investments for Maine to responsibly maximize the economic opportunity presented by offshore wind along the East Coast. The “roadmap” does not decide whether offshore wind is developed in the Gulf of Maine.

The Governor’s Energy Office, in collaboration with other partners, is offering a series of workshops to share information and engage with a variety of audiences about floating offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. This rapidly growing industry is a part of Maine’s renewable energy portfolio and economic development strategy, but there is a great deal to learn to help better inform our dialogue as Maine moves forward.

Webinars have covered a variety of topics including technology to regulatory process to economic opportunities to lessons learned from the UK. Please check back often as we update our offerings. Past webinars are recorded and available on our YouTube channel (link).

Initial Stakeholder Webinars

Dec. 15, 2020: Fisheries Webinar #1
Dec. 16, 2020: Fisheries Webinar #2
Dec. 17, 2020: General Interest Webinar #1
Dec. 22, 2020: Fisheries Webinar #3
Feb. 5, 2021: Stakeholder Planning and Knowledge Sharing Workshop

Presentations

Research Array Informational and Work Sessions 

Feb. 26, 2021: Building Our Understanding of the Current Offshore Wind Floating Technology
March 5, 2021: Wildlife Work Session #1
March 10, 2021: Fisheries Work Session #1
March 26, 2021: Gathering Insight into OSW Cable Laying and Maintenance
March 26, 2021: Wildlife Work Session #2
March 30, 2021: UK Lessons: -- Global Perspective on Offshore Wind Supply Chain Opportunities for Maine 

This webinar was hosted by the United Kingdom and Carbon Trust in partnership with the State of Maine and the Maine International Trade Center. Participants will hear from experts and participate in Q&A on how the UK has helped companies pivot to offshore wind, as well as supply chain lessons learned from Hywind (Scotland), the first floating offshore wind commercial installation in the world.

March 31, 2021: Fisheries Work Session #2
July 13, 2021: Joint Fisheries and Wildlife Work Session #3

The findings of these work sessions will be carried into the state’s broader offshore wind roadmap effort coming this spring, which will have various working groups continuing to review these topics and more.

Wildlife Work Sessions Process (PDF)

Fisheries Work Sessions Process (PDF)