Full Title: Feasibility Study for Renewable Energy Technologies in Alaska Offshore Waters
Author(s): Rebecca Meadows, Aubryn Cooperman, Mariya Koleva, Caroline Draxl, Levi Kilcher, Elena Baca, Kerry Strout Grantham, Elise DeGeorge, Walter Musial, Nathan Wiltse, and Omar Jose Guerra Fernandez
Publisher(s): U.S. Department of the Interior: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Publication Date: December 1, 2023
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Description (excerpt):
This study was conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) under an interagency agreement with the U.S. Department of
Energy. The study assesses the feasibility of ocean-based renewable energy sources that may be available to help Alaska decarbonize its energy supply, increase coastal resilience, and build energy security and independence. Throughout this report there are various timelines associated with modeling assumptions and policy scenarios that are being studied. The major elements of clean energy transition considered in this study—which include fixed and floating offshore wind energy, tidal energy, and carbon-neutral hydrogen fuels—are based on a 2035 timeline because some of these technology options are in an early stage of commercial development. Deployment in Alaska waters could increase logistical challenges during commercial development.
The study focuses on the portions of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) off the coast of Alaska and
Alaska state waters that are south of the Bering Strait and east of the 169th meridian (Figure ES-1). BOEM’s authority to regulate renewable energy projects extends from the state/federal boundary at 3 nautical miles from shore out to the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. This study intentionally includes state waters (outside BOEM’s jurisdiction) to allow broader consideration of other marine energy technologies such as tidal energy and wave energy that often have their best resources closer to shore. A full evaluation of other renewable energy resources such as land-based wind and solar are beyond the scope of this report but should be considered as part of a more comprehensive statewide energy transition plan to decarbonize.