The U.S. and Denmark recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation of offshore wind energy projects, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced.
At the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C., Danish Ambassador Lars Gert Lose and BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper signed the MOU to recognize their countries’ common interests in developing offshore wind as a clean and sustainable energy source.
“This is a historic event for our respective countries as we work together to share knowledge, experiences, data and best practices relevant to offshore wind energy development,” says Hopper. “This MOU represents an exciting milestone toward achieving a clean energy future.”
“This agreement is a testimony to the strong transatlantic ties between Denmark and the U.S.,” adds Lose. “Denmark has been using offshore wind power as an energy resource for 25 years, and I am delighted that we – by sharing our knowledge and experience – can help promote renewable energy in the world’s largest economy.”
The following topics have been identified as high-priority areas for cooperation under the MOU:
- Promoting information sharing, best practices and policy initiatives to support development and regulation;
- Working to identify and discuss challenges associated with financing and risk management;
- Identifying opportunities for sharing best practices, regulatory approaches and scientific models with regard to protection of the environment – including but not limited to the effects of offshore wind on marine mammals, migratory birds and cultural resources;
- Facilitating technical knowledge transfer related to electrical interconnection and grid integration of electricity generated from offshore wind; and
- Knowledge sharing on a wide range of issues, including supply chain, off-take, grid integration/interconnection, system planning, data on the benefits of offshore wind energy and strategies for achieving cost reductions.
“America is looking in the right places to share best practices about financing, locating and operating successful offshore wind farms,” comments Nancy Sopko, spokesperson for the American Wind Energy Association’s offshore wind program. “Denmark has blazed the way to adoption of wind energy with over 40 percent of its electricity already coming from wind – and about a quarter of that from offshore turbines. There’s much to learn from their decades of experience, and we’re excited about the prospects for this new agreement.”
