Stony Brook University Receives $5M to Support Offshore Wind Research Initiatives

The two joint venture partner Ørsted and Eversource plan to develop the offshore wind farm Sunrise Wind off the coast of New York. Now they have launchend a partnership with Stony Brook University which is part of New York's State University. The $5 million commitment funded by the project will underwrite research initiatives specific to the advancement of offshore wind through Stony Brook’s Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) in connection with the Sunrise Wind project.

The funds will support multiple research projects to improve and advance offshore wind energy development and grid integration. The AERTC would focus on interdisciplinary research activities related to:

• Engineering, construction, and logistics for offshore wind power generation;
• Technological innovations to reduce costs and improve efficiencies of offshore wind;
• Wind resource assessment and energy production forecasting;
• Integrating intermittent renewable energy sources with utility grids; and
• Coordinating the development of offshore wind resources with other commercial offshore uses, particularly the fishing industry.

“We are very excited by the possibilities this partnership with Ørsted and Eversource presents,” said Stony Brook University President Maurie McInnis. “Since opening AERTC in 2010, Stony Brook has been effectively advancing renewable energy research and training students who will become the next generation of energy experts. With this research partnership and collaboration, we are poised to make a real impact on the future production and efficiency of offshore wind energy.”

“The offshore wind industry and the prospect of a clean energy future are two of the most exciting developments happening right now in the United States,” said David Hardy, Chief Executive Officer of Ørsted Offshore North America. “Stony Brook University has long been positioning itself to be an academic and research epicenter of this green movement. The goal of this partnership is to leverage the academic power of this world-class research institution and apply it to our projects.”

Werner Schweiger, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Eversource Energy. “The researchers at Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook have demonstrated great leadership in advancing new renewable energy technology and we look forward to collaborating with them to bring offshore wind to the state of New York.”