(D-Maine)
There will be only one place in the country that will be conducting cutting edge research on composites for the offshore wind energy industry. And it will be in Maine.
On Jan. 8, 2010, the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that the University of Maine in Orono was chosen to receive a $12.5 million Recovery Act investment to construct the Advanced Nanocomposites in Renewable Energy Laboratory (ANREL) at the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center.
The new lab is one of only 12 new scientific research facilities selected nationwide to help keep the United States at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation and to support economic growth. It will be the only such facility to include complete development capabilities for designing, building and testing large structural hybrid composite and nanocomposite components for the deepwater offshore wind energy industry. The lab will be key to keeping our national science and education base competitive with the rest of the world.
This new lab will also serves as catalyst for improving our state’s economy and creating jobs. It is estimated that 50-100 full-time construction jobs will be created to build the lab, which is a win for the local economy.
But it is also a longer-term shot in the arm for Maine’s overall economy and represents another important step forward for clean energy development and job creation in our state.
The University of Maine, working with the U.S. Department of Energy, has estimated that approximately 15,000 new jobs could be created and sustained over a 20 year period if 5 gigawatts of deepwater offshore wind capacity is reached through the initial sites proposed in the Gulf of Maine. But in order to make these job gains a reality, Maine must work to maximize the amount of work that goes to local businesses by fully utilizing a local supply chain. I am pleased that the University of Maine and its partners recently held a conference to prepare local businesses and industries to help make sure this happens.
I’ve supported investments like this because they have the potential to help transform our state’s economy. Homegrown clean energy production, whether it’s wind, tidal, or biomass advancements, is something that cannot be outsourced. The jobs would be here in Maine. And a growing clean energy sector in Maine will help grow our state’s economy, promote sustainable economic development and improve our environment.
This new lab at the University of Maine is a critical component to realizing these goals. And the details of the facility and what it will be capable of are impressive.
The new 30,000 square foot lab will support a materials and engineering research program designed to capitalize on two of the state’s key resources – wind energy and wood. Maine has an estimated 149 gigawatts of offshore wind energy within 50 nautical miles of its shoreline, according to figures from the University of Maine. Wood, the state’s principal natural resource, is a potential renewable feedstock for new nanocomposites. This new material technology uses fibers naturally produced in forest products to add stiffness and strength to polymer composites.
According to NIST, the new lab is designed to develop durable advanced composites materials suitable for the harsh offshore environment, which must withstand both high wind stresses and a corrosive environment. The new facility will include a nanocomposites lab, building space for large composite structures, a large structural testing lab with a test stand capable of supporting 70-meter wind blade prototypes, and mechanical and environmental testing labs.
The lab, which is expected to be completed a little over a year from now, will complement the cutting edge advancements already being made at the University of Maine and position our homegrown clean energy industry for future growth. I look forward to following its progress and continuing to support this potentially game changing advancement for our economy.
