Sea Grant, DOE, NOAA Fisheries partner to invest $1M+ to support research for the co-existence of ocean energy with Northeast fishing and coastal communities

Graphic with a map of the US Northeast and icons for renewable energy, fishing, and a community network. Text reads: "Ocean Renewable Energies; Advancing research for the co-existence of fishing and coastal communities; $1M+ competitive funding opportunity with unique partnership" with DOE, Sea Grant, and NOAA Fishering logos

MARCH 29, 2021 — FUNDING PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT

The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office and Water Power Technologies Office, and NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center, announces a research funding opportunity to improve understanding of offshore renewable energy interactions with fishing and coastal communities to optimize ocean co-use.

This unique funding partnership will support objective, community-focused research on ocean renewable energy – including offshore wind and hydrokinetic current, tidal, and wave energies – in the U.S. Northeast for the benefit of a diversity of communities and stakeholders.

With a focus on advancing community and economic resilience, the funding opportunity aims to catalyze proactive socio-economic and technology research for offshore renewable energy planning in the region. Over $1 million will be available to support research projects across three innovative areas:

- Fisheries and Fishing Community Resilience
- Coastal Community and Economic Resilience
- Co-Location Management of Ocean Renewable Energy with Other Marine Activities

As the U.S. prepares to deploy renewable energy technologies in the Northeast that harness the region’s abundant natural resources, the Northeast Sea Grant Consortium and federal partners seek collaborative, multidisciplinary, and innovative proposals with results that will be valuable to a variety of stakeholders, from the fishing industry to resource managers.

The funding competition is accepting pre-proposals from eligible Northeast researchers through May 14, 2021. Read more about the Request for Proposals here.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Lily Keyes, Northeast Sea Grant Consortium (keyes@mit.edu)

Scott Smullen, NOAA Communications (scott.smullen@noaa.gov)

Chris Vacarro, NOAA Communications (christopher.vaccaro@noaa.gov)

DOE, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EE.Media@ee.doe.gov)

PARTNERS

The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium consists of the Connecticut, Maine, MIT, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Woods Hole Sea Grant Programs. Sea Grant’s mission is to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine and Great Lakes resources in order to create a sustainable economy and environment.

DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office and Water Power Technologies Office are committed to developing and deploying innovative technologies for clean, domestic power generation from natural renewable resources such as wind, hydropower, waves, and tides. The mission is to enable energy science research, development, and testing of new technologies to advance innovative energy systems in the U.S.

NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center works with the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office to ensure informed management decisions based on sound science, promoting sustainability of marine life, supporting fisheries and coastal communities, and generating economic opportunities and benefits from the use of these resources.