Impact Metrics
To date, NOWRDC has funded 64 research projects, with 39 now completed. Upon project completion, we collect both quantitative reports and testimonial feedback.
With enough projects closed out, we are now able to provide a comprehensive view of how our funding influences individual projects and the broader offshore wind industry.
Below is a summary of our impact assessments, presented in three key areas:
- High-Level Summary Statistics: Overview of portfolio distribution, TRL & CRL advancements, matched funding, and more.
- LCOE Impact: A detailed analysis of LCOE impacts, with a link to the full report available in our resources tab.
- Project PI Testimonials: Insights from project leaders on how NOWRDC funding has supported their work and contributed to project success.
Introduction: NOWRDC Funding and Competitive Solicitations
6 competitive solicitations to date
64 project awards
Over $55M in R&D grant funding
Over $14M in programmatic or leveraged funds
Goals of the funding:
- Accelerate the deployment of offshore wind energy in the U.S.
- Address challenges and obstacles facing the offshore wind industry and maximize economic and social benefits.
- Reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of offshore wind in the U.S.
High Level Impact Stats
NOWRDC-funded project have on average, advanced by:
3 levels on the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale1.5 levels on the Commercial Readiness Level (CRL) scale
42% of projects increase annual energy production (AEP)
76% of projects reduce risk during the project lifecyle
82% of projects reduce capex or opex
Funding Impact
NOWRDC’s research and development funding has significantly impacted each stage of offshore wind project development, with the greatest advancements seen in Installation and Operations & Maintenance. By driving innovation and reducing costs, NOWRDC is accelerating the industry from concept to commercial deployment.
NOWRDC Project Impact Across OSW Project Development Stages
*This data represents closed out projects only
LCOE Impact
NOWRDC has assessed the impact its closed out project awards have had on the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and annual energy production (AEP) metrics of offshore wind in the US. Version 1.0 of this modeling was released in 2024, and version 2.0 was released in 2026.
In this second LCOE impact analysis, NOWRDC modeled innovation deployment across three hypothetical baseline wind farms:
Nearshore Fixed Bottom
Deep Water Floating
Shallow Water Floating
Across each case, deploying NOWRDC-funded innovations led to:
Significant LCOE reductions ranging from 6.3-12.1%
CapEx reduction ranging from 0.8% to 7.7%
NOWRDC has prioritized projects that have the potential to significantly reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), a critical metric that determines the economic viability of offshore wind energy. These selected projects represent cutting-edge innovations and strategies across multiple areas, including technology development, operational efficiency, and cost reductions in both capital expenditures (CapEx) and operational expenditures (OpEx).
Each project highlighted below was rigorously modeled to assess its potential impact on LCOE, ensuring that
these advancements will help make offshore wind energy more competitive and scalable.
NOWRDC Cost Impact Modeling - Baseline Scenario Introductions
Fixed-Bottom Nearshore Scenario – The nearshore case represents a typical farm from the first round of U.S. East Coast development. The distance to shore is set at 31 miles and the water depth across the farm at 30m, with a commercial operations date of 2030 to reflect projects currently in the pipeline that fit this approximate geographic profile. Two innovations were modeled in this scenario: Northeastern University’s hurricane risk and bankability work, which lowers the cost of capital, and Tufts University’s physics-based digital twin, which reduces operations and maintenance costs. Together they deliver a combined 6.3% reduction in LCOE.
Floating Deep Water Scenario – This scenario represents West Coast development, where ultra-deep water conditions require floating offshore wind technology. The water depth is modeled at 800m, consistent with federal lease areas off California and Oregon that sit predominantly at 500 to 1,300m. Because no commercial-scale floating farm has yet been deployed at these depths, the scenario sits beyond the current envelope of demonstrated technology and carries substantial headroom for innovation-driven cost reduction. Three innovations were applied here: shared mooring systems from the National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL), the Northeastern hurricane risk framework, and the Tufts digital twin. Together they deliver a combined 6.3% reduction in LCOE, with the cost-of-capital improvement the single largest contributor.
Floating Shallow-Water Scenario – This scenario represents floating development in intermediate water depths, modeled at 100m, characteristic of the Gulf of Maine. BOEM’s Gulf of Maine Wind Energy Area covers roughly 2 million acres with a combined capacity of 32 GW, and all identified areas are deep enough to require floating technology. Shallow-water mooring systems face particular engineering challenges at these depths, which makes mooring innovation especially high-leverage. This scenario carries the broadest innovation portfolio of the three, with five projects spanning mooring design (University of Maine, UMass Amherst, and NLR), cost of capital (Northeastern), and operations (Tufts). Together they deliver a combined 12.1% reduction in LCOE, the largest of any scenario modeled.
LCOE Impact Modeling & Report
Through this metrics assessment exercise we have been able to provide a high level takeaway about the impact of the innovations supported by NOWRDC funding. These results go to show that the US innovation landscape is strong and varied, and with the right support a real impact on the US Offshore wind industry can be achieved. NOWRDC provides a targeted and impactful source of funding across many technical areas and to entities throughout the nation, whose research is the key to arriving at these results. While this analysis captures just a portion of our portfolio, it clearly demonstrates the potential impact that innovation can have on this industry.
This is the second iteration of the analysis, building on the framework first established in 2024, and we anticipate to update this on a biannual basis. The 2026 edition placed greater emphasis on floating offshore wind, reflecting the trajectory of U.S. development, and added a Gulf of Maine shallow-water baseline where geographically specific technologies such as advanced mooring systems show some of the largest cost reductions. Future editions will incorporate additional innovations as the consortium’s closed-out project portfolio grows, along with new baseline areas and updated market assumptions. If you are interested in helping us with this work, please reach out to Kori Groenveld at kori.groenveld@nationaloffshorewind.org.
NOWRDC’s Qualitative Impact - Testimonials
Project leaders across the offshore wind industry have highlighted the invaluable support and collaboration facilitated by NOWRDC, emphasizing how the partnership has accelerated innovation and fostered groundbreaking solutions. Beyond measurable outcomes, these testimonials showcase the qualitative benefits of working with NOWRDC, such as enhanced industry connections, access to specialized expertise, and the ability to take on ambitious projects that may not have been feasible otherwise.