Conceptual rendering of floating wind turbines at sea

RESEARCH ARRAY

The State of Maine is pursuing federal approval for the Gulf of Maine Floating Offshore Wind Research Array, a 16-square-mile area in federal waters off the Gulf of Maine. The array will feature up to 12 turbines on innovative floating platform technology developed by the University of Maine, and the prudent next step in Maine’s advancement of floating offshore wind.

Conceptual Illustration by University of Maine

Conceptual Illustration by University of Maine

Conceptual rendering of floating wind turbines at sea

RESEARCH ARRAY

The State of Maine is pursuing federal approval for the Gulf of Maine Floating Offshore Wind Research Array, a 16-square-mile area in federal waters off the Gulf of Maine. The array will feature up to 12 turbines on innovative floating platform technology developed by the University of Maine, and the prudent next step in Maine’s advancement of floating offshore wind.

Maine Offshore WInd Initiative icon

In November 2020, the State announced plans for the research array as the first floating project of its kind proposed in the U.S. With only a few floating offshore wind turbines operating in the world, the research array is needed to address important technological, operational, and scientific research to inform future floating offshore wind projects.

The research array will provide critical firsthand experience with a multi-turbine array, which will unlock greater understanding of how future floating wind farms will integrate with the marine environment and existing ocean uses.

A consortium established by the State will develop and execute a research strategy to answer the critical questions about floating offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine and oversee the research process once the array is built. The consortium will ensure research is conducted in an open, transparent, and inclusive manner, and will include contributions of regional and national scientific entities, Maine’s fishing industry, state and federal agencies, and scientific experts.

Waves splashing on Maine's rocky coast

Collectively, research at the array will substantially move forward ground breaking research in floating offshore wind by identifying opportunities and challenges to the human environment, developing methods to avoid and minimize impacts to the ecosystem, and lowering the cost of floating offshore wind energy.

With the growth of offshore wind being accelerated by federal and state policies, the research array will help inform responsible commercial-scale offshore wind projects in the Gulf of Maine, while complementing the Offshore Wind’s Roadmap work to create a comprehensive economic development plan for the industry in Maine.

A research array lease application submitted by the state is subject to approval by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, after which a full development process requiring permitting and opportunities for formal public comments will take place. This process is expected to take multiple years to complete.