14 DAY TRIAL // A collaboration of national departments in the United States has agreed to allot more than $5 million in grant money to research dealing with furthering the use of renewable energy in the nation.
The money were alloted to investigators conducting studies into offshore and onshore wind power generation, as well as in using the seas as a virtually endless source of energy.
Gusts of winds can produce very large amounts of electricity, given that turbines are installed in a proper place. Additionally, the seas and oceans can also be used for electricity generation.
This can be done by harnessing their waves, tides, currents, and thermal gradients separately or all at once. With the new funds, researchers will be able to determine the long-term environmental effect that deploying such capabilities would have.
The money were awarded by the US Department of Energy (DOE), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE), and the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
A total of eight joint research awards were announced, and this effort was designed to lay the foundation for a cleaner, renewable offshore energy industry, officials say.
There are numerous benefits to doing this, analysts say, including diversifying the energy mix of the United States, enhance its energy security, create jobs and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
“The nation's oceans represent a major potential source of clean renewable energy, and DOE is committed to developing the innovative technologies that will harness that potential,” explains Steven Chu, who is the US Secretary of Energy.
“Our partnership with fellow federal agencies will help to streamline the responsible deployment of offshore renewable energy technologies that will create US jobs while improving America's energy security,” the official adds.
The new cooperation is bound to have numerous positive effects in terms of efficiency as well. Because the agencies and departments are working together, they eliminate the risk of conducting redundant research.
Additionally, they also support complementary work, and agree to share any results that may come out of the research they jointly fund.
“We are pleased to join with our partners in announcing these important studies that will give us insight into ocean renewable energy development,” says Michael R. Bromwich, the director of BOEMRE.
“Opportunities such as these allow us to enhance our knowledge of the nation's oceans, advance the work within the scientific community and take important steps on the path toward energy independence,” he adds.