Press Releases

The University of Maine launched a 1:8 scale demonstration of its offshore wind turbine VolturnUS in 2013 off Castine.

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree released the following statement on the Department of Energy’s decision to include the University of Maine’s New England Aqua Ventus project in the top tier of its offshore wind demonstration program. The decision makes the project eligible for up to $40 million in funding in future years.

“This is game-changing news for this important project as well as Maine’s economic future. Since being picked as an alternate for this program two years ago, the dedicated team at the University of Maine has not let up one bit in further developing and improving its VolturnUS wind turbine. I’m so glad that the Department of Energy is rewarding them for the incredible progress they’ve made. It is a pivotal step in securing significant future investments for this project as well as creating good-paying clean energy jobs in our state that can not be outsourced.”

Pingree has been a longtime supporter of the University of Maine’s efforts to develop offshore wind power. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, she has also fought against cuts to the Department of Energy’s offshore wind program.