WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that the University of Toledo will receive $750,000 in funds from the U.S. Department of Energy in order to support wind technology development at the school. The grant will be used for modeling and simulation of a two-bladed offshore turbine for use in the Great Lakes. This project, selected through a competitive process, reflects on Ohio's reputation as an center for education in cutting-edge energy manufacturing.

"Ohio's schools are at the forefront of cutting-edge clean energy research and development," Sen. Brown said. "These funds will allow the University of Toledo to contribute to our goal of putting the first offshore wind turbine in freshwater. Wind energy will not only lower costs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but will also create new demand for components produced by Ohio's supply chain."

Offshore wind offers enormous potential for producing domestic sources of clean energy and good-paying jobs in areas located close to large coastal population centers. Clean energy industries are ranked as one of the fastest-growing emerging sectors in Ohio's economy. Within the last three years, Ohio has attracted more than $74 million in clean energy venture capital.

Ohio already ranks fourth in the nation for clean energy jobs, and Brown is working to make Ohio the "Silicon Valley of Clean Energy Manufacturing". Brown's POWERED Act would spur research on potential offshore wind projects, expand incentives for offshore wind development, and require the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the deployment of offshore wind. The bill would establish the Offshore Wind Power Research and Development Program at the Department of Energy. The program would assist and coordinate offshore wind power analysis and implementation efforts by giving grants to states, institutions of higher education, and industry-academic consortia to conduct wind power analysis in such critical areas as: 1) development of state policies for use of offshore wind power in state power planning, including incentives for development; 2) development of plans for integration of wind resources into the electric grid including transmission, storage, and responsive load; 3) research on potential wildlife and ecological impacts; and 4) research on technologies that would improve the reliability and reduce the cost of offshore turbines. The POWERED Act has been endorsed by The University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio, Case Western Reserve University, The University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, The Ohio State University, The Great Lakes Wind Network.

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