NREL has again raised the topic of using offshore wind projects as a backbone of the US grid, rather than simply plugging each project into an onshore substation on an individual basis. This is similar to the North Sea ‘energy’ island concept which would simultaneously serve as a framework for future wind development, while increasing interconnections between North Sea states – or in the US case, coastal states. And perhaps even more importantly, these construction works would lean on the existing offshore fossil fuel industry, ranging from installation ships, to existing platforms, to workforce. NREL’s prior publication on the topic can be found here, looking at the east coast – where the offshore wind industry is underway – while its…