STANDARDS FOR OCEAN WIND

Delaware energy: US is urged to adopt wind-turbine standards
Aaron Nathans, April 29, 2011 (News Journal)

"The United States needs to adopt quality standards for offshore wind turbines, the National Academies argue in a new report.

"The academies -- made up of the National Academy of Sciences and three other groups -- suggested that the U.S. Department of the Interior create…[clear requirements for future development] including benchmarks for structural integrity, environmental performance and energy generation from offshore wind turbines."

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"There are not yet any offshore wind farms in the United States, but companies like NRG Bluewater Wind are actively planning them, and the government has begun permitting the first wave of offshore wind farms, including Bluewater's planned wind farm off Delaware's coast...European governments have regulatory requirements, and share standards and guidelines, including rules for the ships that are used to build offshore wind turbines, the academies noted…

"The report was commissioned by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, which oversees offshore wind development."