The MEA has allocated a combined $1 million for two new grant programs, specifically targeting the offshore wind industry.
The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has announced two new grant programs targeting the offshore wind industry. The programs are the Offshore Wind Business Development Grant Program and the Offshore Wind Workforce Development Grant Program.
Maryland Energy Administration has allocated a combined $1 million for these programs, which are open to emerging businesses, non-profits, and governments.
- The Offshore Wind Business Development Grant Program supports Maryland’s emerging businesses, including minority owned emerging businesses looking to participate in the global offshore wind industry. Maryland Energy Administration seeks to jumpstart Maryland’s offshore wind supply chain by providing grant funding to help offset upfront barrier costs in two key areas: market entry assistance, and capital expenditures and facilities upgrades.
- The Offshore Wind Workforce Development Grant Program will provide grant funding on a competitive basis to ensure Maryland has a ready and able workforce capable of contributing to the construction, installation, and operations & maintenance of an offshore wind energy project. The Program is open to businesses, including minority owned emerging businesses, non-profits, and state, local, and municipal governments and their agencies or institutions.
Maryland Energy Administration’s Director, Mary Beth Tung, recently announced the two offshore wind programs during her welcome speech to a crowd of nearly 500 U.S. and European offshore wind business representatives at the 2017 International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF). The IPF is hosted annually by the Business Network for Offshore Wind (BNOW), and this year’s conference took place in Annapolis, Maryland from April 19 to 21, 2017.
MEA and BNOW formed a partnership in 2014 to organize and prepare Maryland businesses entering the offshore wind industry. The Offshore Wind Business and Workforce Development Grant Programs build on the work of this partnership.
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind
