Offshore Wind Experts Selected to Support Research Consortium

As part of Maine’s commitment to responsibly pursue offshore wind, LD 1619 — passed with bipartisan support by the Legislature  — established several provisions to help sustain existing ocean uses and the environment with potential offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine. These provisions included the establishment of a Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium by early 2023.

The statute outlines certain elements of the Consortium: It shall be coordinated by the Governor’s Energy Office, an Advisory Board will be created with some specific named members, themes for a research strategy will be decided, and a timeline for the preliminary research questions will be identified.

To develop the Consortium and help begin its work, GEO and key state agency partners issued a competitive Request for Proposals. Through that process, Carbon Trust Advisory, a global leader in decarbonization and offshore wind, was selected, along with subcontractors from the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium and the National Renewable Energy Labs. GEO has also hired Laura Singer, a consultant with significant expertise in Maine ocean users and stakeholder engagement, to complement the Carbon Trust team and provide additional support to the project.

For more information on this project, please contact Stephanie Watson, Maine Offshore Wind Program Manager, at stephanie.watson@maine.gov.