Abstract
The United States has embarked on a pathway to achieve a 100% carbon-emissions-free electricity sector by 2035 and zero carbon emissions nationwide by 2050. Wind energy, both land-based and offshore, is expected to be a principal contributor, with offshore wind currently gaining a foothold in U.S. oceanic regions. Most offshore wind energy activity has been driven by individual states and boosted by federally-supported initiatives. Offshore wind energy resource potential in the Great Lakes region1 is estimated to be substantial and in proximity to large energy loads where wind energy expansion could be strategically important in enabling these states to achieve their clean-energy goals (Musial et al. 2016). Key initiatives provided by the Biden administration may also help reach state and federal cleanenergy goals. For example, on September 15, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Floating Offshore Wind ShotTM, which targets cost reductions of 70% down to $45 per megawatt-hour. The administration also announced that it will advance lease areas in deep waters to deploy 15 gigawatts (GW) of floating offshore wind capacity by 2035 (DOE 2022). These initiatives focus primarily on federal waters, but wind energy resource assessments of the Great Lakes, which are in state waters, estimate 160 GW of fixed-bottom resource potential and about 415 GW of resources suited for floating wind. Moreover, in five of the eight Great Lakes states, the lake-based wind energy resource potential exceeds the state’s annual electricity consumption, illuminating a potentially large opportunity for transitioning to renewable energy. Despite the positives, many issues associated with wind energy development in the Great Lakes region will require solutions that are different from those developed in ocean states, and industry learnings in these nearby ocean states may not address the unique deployment issues. As a result, technology readiness and cost reduction for Great Lakes wind energy generation is likely to be delayed relative to other regions without a substantial, targeted research campaign, infrastructure planning and investment, and proactive stakeholder engagement at all levels. Failure to conduct the necessary research to lower Great Lakes wind costs in the near term could limit its contribution to the nation’s decarbonization goals.