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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the White House have made offshore wind a centerpiece of plans to strengthen the nation’s energy infrastructure, announcing a goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030 — a huge leap from the 42 megawatts (MW) currently in operation. Not only could this provide enough electricity to power 10 million American homes and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 78 million metric tons, it could also support as many as 77,000 new jobs.

The success of this initiative will rely, in large part, on partnerships to accelerate research and development (R&D) and establish new offshore systems in such an ambitious time frame. DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is certain to be at the center of many of these efforts, contributing expertise in research related to offshore wind as well as building coalitions.

NREL has a long, successful track record of collaboration with partners in industry, agencies at all levels of government, and the research community. Offshore wind project partnerships have given NREL the insight needed to develop innovations that solve real-world problems and become the recognized standards for industry. For example, 80% of all prototypes for offshore wind floating platforms have been designed with the help of NREL open-source analysis tools — which NREL created through collaboration with laboratory partners.

With recent announcements of a national goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 and the go-ahead to install the first commercial-scale U.S. offshore wind project, NREL and its partners are poised to help meet this ambitious target. Semisubmersible offshore wind platforms accounted for 89% of substructures in floating wind projects either installed or announced in 2019. Other projects may use spar or tension-leg platform substructures. Graphics by Josh Bauer, NREL

NREL’s partners have helped the laboratory build a broad, in-depth understanding of the unique challenges of offshore environments. Offshore wind’s remote locations, deep waters, and extreme weather and ocean conditions present additional design, installation, and operation hurdles in the form of efficiency, cost, and durability.

Offshore wind collaborations bring together the research expertise of NREL staff with the know-how of industry partners, the policymaking perspective of government agencies, and additional support from other laboratories and universities. Researchers work with partners to characterize wind resourcesoptimize plants and turbinesanalyze techno-economic and market factors, and assess potential environmental impacts.

In particular, partners rely on NREL’s pioneering research to boost the performance and market viability of floating platform technologies needed to capture energy in the deepwater locations that account for nearly 60% of U.S. offshore wind resources. The laboratory’s researchers have most recently turned their attention to the integration of offshore wind energy with land-based utility systems to increase grid reliability, resilience, and efficiency.

Transmission of offshore wind energy relies on equipment such as undersea cables to carry power back to the mainland.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, more than $10 million in funding for NREL offshore wind research projects came from partnerships with industry. The NREL team is working with more than 45 commercial, government, and research organizations on offshore, land-based, and distributed wind research projects in 2021.

This reflects the overall success of the laboratory in cultivating partnerships. Over the last 12 years, NREL has brought in $1 billion in partnership contracts, with more than 900 active partnership agreements and close to 600 unique partners in FY 2020.

With the nation’s first commercial-scale offshore wind development recently cleared for installation by the U.S. Department of the Interior off the coast of Massachusetts, the NREL offshore wind team hopes to engage with new partners to grow its collaborative base and make even more meaningful contributions to this burgeoning industry in the coming years.

Giving Industry the Tools To Compete

Industry partners know they can bank on the intellectual capital of experienced NREL researchers to develop and refine breakthrough offshore wind technologies and provide the balanced, market-savvy guidance needed for successful deployment. In addition, NREL offers industry partners hands-on research collaboration, technical assistance, deployment guidance, research facility use, and technology licensing.

“Collaboration with industry is key to making sure our R&D addresses real-world issues and priorities, while helping transfer scientific knowledge from the lab to the marketplace,” said NREL Principal Engineer Jeroen van Dam. “We’re giving offshore developers the tools to establish market parity — and giving the United States resources to join the field of international players.”

Through collaborations with the primary offshore wind regulators — the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement — and in coordination with the Business Network for Offshore Wind and the American Clean Power Association trade organizations, NREL is helping lead the development of industry standards that will define the requirements for utility-scale deployment of offshore wind in the United States. The team also works with individual companies — from startups to established corporations — including system operators, developers, original equipment manufacturers, energy suppliers, and investors. Scores of U.S. companies are currently involved in building, running, or supporting supply chains related to offshore systems.

The laboratory provides a credible source for objective expertise and validated data, bolstering rather than competing with industry efforts. NREL research focuses on early-stage technologies, where industry investments tend to be lean, while also targeting R&D priorities with potential for future commercialization. This has included collaboration on tools needed for industry to eventually develop larger, more powerful turbines and optimize system performance, efficiency, reliability, and affordability.

NREL takes broader economic factors into consideration when assessing the potential impact of offshore wind research and development. Offshore wind could trigger more than $12 billion per year in U.S. capital investment in offshore wind projects and spur significant activity and growth for ports, factories, and construction.

NREL also takes bigger economic factors into consideration when assessing the potential impact of offshore wind research and development. Eventually, it is estimated that offshore wind could trigger more than $12 billion per year in U.S. capital investment and spur significant activity and growth for ports, factories, and construction operations.

NREL analysts help developers and other industry partners gain crucial, unbiased understanding of the balance among potential offshore wind costs, revenues, and risks within the broader context of technical, legal, regulatory, tax, and policy issues. NREL market reports provide the data needed to support decision-making, including information critical to building the skilled workforce necessary for industry growth.

Building Coalitions To Spur Innovation

NREL has provided ongoing leadership to forge collaborative partnerships that bring together top minds from a range of sectors to form a virtual think tank of offshore wind research experts. In this convening role, NREL acts as a catalyst for exchanging information, tackling large research projects, and providing industry and policy decision makers with the body of scientific knowledge needed to champion new approaches.

NREL’s Walt Musial and Brent Rice join partners to tour the world’s first floating offshore wind farm off the coast of Peterhead, Scotland. Photo by Brent Rice, NREL

A major component of the newly announced U.S. offshore wind initiative announced by the White House calls on the National Offshore Wind R&D Consortium (NOWRDC) to refine the technology needed for deployment at a scale previously unprecedented in this country. The NOWRDC, which is managed by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) with contributions from four other states plus DOE, benefits from the technical direction of NREL Offshore Wind Platform Lead Walt Musial, as well as the laboratory’s regular representation on the NOWRDC R&D Advisory Group and leadership of several projects.

“The developers and states really set the pace,” Musial said. “They’re ultimately the ones who will be responsible for rolling out and operating new offshore systems. Our job is to arm them with the information they need to maximize clean energy production in ways that will work best to help them achieve the lowest cost for their project.”

The laboratory’s involvement in coalition efforts reaches across the country and around the globe. Many International Energy Agency Wind Technology Collaboration Programme (IEA Wind) research tasks, which engage academia and industry across three continents, are led by NREL research staff. This includes development of a 15-MW reference turbine in partnership with IEA Wind and DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office to help design larger, more powerful, next-generation turbines.

NREL’s global and national partnerships are helping design larger, more powerful, next-generation offshore wind technologies, such as the IEA Wind 15-MW reference turbine.

NREL has a long, successful history of partnerships with international and U.S. universities and research institutions, including other national laboratories. The laboratory’s university affiliations encompass professors collaborating on NREL projects, NREL researchers advising graduate students, and projects supported by university funding. Consortia comprising multiple institutions and larger collaborations that involve several different agencies, universities, labs, and private-sector partners bring a range of perspectives to offshore wind solutions.

Collaborative efforts helmed by other U.S. government agencies, including DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) office and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), also rely on NREL research expertise. For example, ARPA-E has funded the Aerodynamic Turbines Lighter and Afloat with Nautical Technologies and Integrated Servo-control (ATLANTIS) program to develop new floating offshore wind turbines by tightly integrating control systems and design. NREL leads three ATLANTIS projects, working with one other national laboratory, four universities, and four industry partners.

Tapping One-of-a-Kind Offshore Wind Expertise

So, why do all of these organizations choose to partner with NREL on offshore wind research projects?

Certain collaborative undertakings rely on NREL’s high-performance Eagle supercomputer and world-class Flatirons Campus research facilities to put innovative offshore wind technologies and strategies through their paces. NREL software tools make it possible for researchers and partners to build models and simulate performance based on the laboratory’s formidable collections of data.

But NREL also offers one-of-a-kind expertise from its staff of 150 wind energy scientists, engineers, and analysts, many of whom contribute their multidisciplinary knowledge to offshore projects. With numerous cumulative decades of research experience, the team is able to tap a deep base of knowledge specific to offshore wind, as well as wider-reaching input from experts in related disciplines such as land-based wind power, other areas of clean energy generation, transmission, and integration. This cross-cutting approach has recently led scientists to uncover new efficiencies for converting wind energy to hydrogen that can be readily stored and used for a range of applications.

In surveys, multiple partners have given NREL high marks for its collaborative approach, distinct technical capabilities, and strong understanding of current needs and priorities.

“If we want the nation’s ambitious vision for offshore wind to become reality, we all need to pull together,” Musial said.

“These partnerships with industry, universities, other labs, and government agencies are crucial to developing the right technology, installing it at the right locations, and connecting it to the grid so that we can maximize offshore’s contribution to the country’s affordable clean energy mix.”

Article courtesy of the NREL, the U.S. Department of Energy.


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Tesla starts using ‘Supervised Full Self-Driving’ language

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Tesla starts using 'Supervised Full Self-Driving' language

Tesla and Elon Musk have started using the term “Supervised Full Self-Driving” when discussing their self-driving efforts.

What does it mean?

Tesla, and especially its CEO Elon Musk, has used controversial language when discussing its self-driving effort.

It started with calling and selling something called the “Full Self-Driving Capability” package all the way back in 2016. The automaker promised it would eventually enable level 5 self-driving capability through software updates.

Now, it has yet to happen, and Tesla has evolved its language around the promise over the years.

Musk previously often used the term “robotaxi” and said that “Tesla would enable 1 million robotaxis by the end of the year”. This was in reference to bringing full self-driving capability to Tesla’s existing fleet of over 1 million vehicles, now over 5 million, through a software update.

That also never happened.

Musk then started using the term “feature complete,” which refers to Tesla FSD Beta taking over all driving tasks. However, it still requires the driver’s attention and readiness to take control at all times.

Under SAE’s ADAS system ranking, this is called a level 2 autonomous system, and Tesla has clearly promised a level 4 or even 5 system in which driver attention is not required. That’s where we are now.

In the last year or two, Tesla, and especially Musk, as he is Tesla’s main spokesperson, have stopped referencing robotaxi or at least in reference to turning Tesla’s existing fleet into robotaxis. Instead, Musk used the term in reference to an upcoming new Tesla vehicle specifically designed to be a robotaxi.

When it comes to turning FSD Beta into a true self-driving system, Tesla and Musk have been much more vague.

Lately, they have focused on using the language of “Supervised” Full Self-Driving. Musk recently referenced it in an email sent to Tesla employees, and Tesla used the same term in recent social media posts.

It’s a reference to drivers having to “supervise” the system. In the previously mentioned email sent to Tesla employees, Musk proudly said that “supervised Full Self-Driving” actually works.

Electrek’s Take

“Supervised Full Self-Driving” indeed works, but you have to ask yourself if the supervised part is what makes it work. The answer is obvious.

I feel like I am repeating myself, but the only thing of value that Tesla can communicate on that front now is actual data about driver intervention and FSD disengagement in order to show a rate of improvement leading toward the “march of 9s”.

The “march of 9s” is what people in the autonomous vehicle industry refer to achieving a 99.9999x percent level of safety.

Right now, when it comes to Tesla’s FSD Beta, we don’t seem to be marching yet. There’s no clear path to it becoming an unsupervised system.

Now, I know that some people hold hope in the fact that Tesla recently launched FSD Beta v12, with end-to-end neural net, and that Tesla is reportedly not “compute constrained” anymore – meaning that FSD Beta could be trained faster and therefore, improve faster.

I still have some hope on that front, but I really want some real data. I can’t with the anecdotal experiences anymore, the continuously evolving language, and the moving goal post.

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Watch out Tesla, smartphone builder Xiaomi’s SU7 EV offers 434 mile range for under $30k

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Watch out Tesla, smartphone builder Xiaomi's SU7 EV offers 434 mile range for under k

Apple may have bailed on its plans to build its own EV, but a Chinese competitor has completed the feat, and on paper, it has the makings to be one helluva first entry into the segment. Today, Xiaomi officially launched its first-ever EV, the SU7 – decked out with advanced battery tech, lightning-fast charging, and a mouth-watering range – all for starting MSRPs that will turn some heads. Oh, the smartphone manufacturer released a new phone model to match the new EV as well.

Although Xiaomi is making its case as a true competitor out of the gate in EVs, it has long been established as a trusted brand in China, manufacturing electronics based on an Internet of Things (IoT) platform, including smartphones, apps, laptops, home appliances, and scooters.

After seeing a decline in consumer electronics sales in the last decade, Xiaomi started turning its sights elsewhere, brainstorming how it could adapt its tech-savvy manufacturing expertise toward new lucrative ventures. It landed on EVs – a booming yet saturated market in China.

By 2021, Xiaomi Automobile was incorporated in China, and in two short years, the company was boasting faster-than-expected progress. By November 2023, we caught our first glimpse of Xiaomi’s first EV model – the SU7. A month later, the electronics company had officially unveiled the SU7 as a challenger to Porsche and who else but Tesla.

In February, Xiaomi shared plans to launch the new SU7 EV in Q2 of this year with hopes of capitalizing on its existing army of 20 million smartphone users. Today, the EV has publicly emerged to much acclaim, garnering an impressive amount of pre-orders in China in a very short window.

  • Xiaomi EV
  • Xiaomi EV
  • Xiaomi EV

Xiaomi’s first-ever SU7 EV looks like affordable home run

Xiaomi held a live launch event for the SU7 EV in China today, posted in its entirety to its Weibo page. There’s a lot of exciting stuff to unfold here, so let’s dig in.

The SU7 arrives at a length, width, and height of 4,997 mm, 1,963 mm, 1,440/1,455 mm, respectively, with a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. Its size is comparable to the Tesla Model 3 (a clear competitor), albeit longer and slightly narrower. More on that in a minute.

Xiaomi shared that the SU7 EV will be sold in three different variants: Standard, Pro, and Max, as well as a limited-run Founders Edition of 5,000 units, of which Xiaomi states were the first built. The Standard and Pro trims sit atop a 400V platform, while the Max variant features an 800V platform, confirming speculation from leaked images we reported back in July 2023. Here’s how the trims vary on the spec sheet:

Xiaomi SU7 Trim Standard Pro Max
Architecture 400V 400V 800V
Powertrain RWD RWD AWD
Battery 73.6 kWh
BYD Blade
94.3 kWh
CATL Shenxing
101 kWh
CATL Qilin
CLTC Range 700km (435 miles) 830km (516 miles) 800km (497 miles)
Power 299 hp (220 kW) 299 hp (220 kW) 673 hp (495 kW)
Torque 400 Nm 400 Nm 838 Nm
0-100km/h Acceleration
(0-62mph)
5.28 seconds 5.70 seconds 2.78 seconds
Top Speed 210 km/h
(130.5 mph)
210 km/h
(130.5 mph)
265 km/h (165 mph)
Fast Charge Time
(10-80%)
25 minutes 30 minutes 19 minutes
15-minute DC charge 350km (218 miles) 350km (218 miles) 510km (317 miles)

In addition to impressive specs, the new Xiaomi SU7 EV is decked out with advanced technology, including a head-up display, Pilot Pro ADAS with vision (Pilot Max with vision and LiDAR on the top two trims), a mini fridge add-on, and a Dolby Atmos sound system (Max trim).

What’s most enticing, however, is that future Xiaomi SU7 customers will get the above perks for some ultra-competitive pricing overseas:

Xiaomi SU7 Trim Standard Pro Max
Starting MSRP RMB 215,900
($29,875)
RMB 245,900
($34,000)
RMB 299,900
($41,500)

Remember that mention of the Tesla Model 3? It’s important to point out that Xiaomi is clearly gunning for the American automaker with the launch of the SU7 EV. For example, the Pro version of the SU7 costs the same as the entry-level Model 3 in China, with significantly better specs. In fact, Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun pulled no punches during the live launch event earlier today:

Many people ask me who the Xiaomi SU7 is built for. My answer is, isn’t it time for Tesla Model 3 users to upgrade?

In collaboration with today’s EV event, Xiaomi also launched a new line of smartphones that work with the SU7, complete in colors to match the vehicle’s exteriors (seen above). The hype has been real so far as Xiaomi opened up its books, reporting over 50,000 firm orders in just 27 minutes.

Xiaomi says initial deliveries of the Standard and Pro trims of the SU7 EV will begin in China in April, followed by orders for the Max in late April. Trust we will do everything we can to get a look at this new impressive EV up close soon.

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BYD says EVs have entered the ‘knockout round’ with next-gen tech rolling out

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BYD says EVs have entered the 'knockout round' with next-gen tech rolling out

Global EV leader BYD believes new energy vehicles, including EVs and PHEVs, have entered the “knockout round” with gas-powered cars. BYD plans to more than double its overseas sales this year, as it aims for one million in 2025.

Let the “liberation battle” begin

After declaring a “liberation battle” against gas-powered cars earlier this year, BYD, or Build Your Dreams, is putting pressure on overseas rivals.

During an investor meeting on Wednesday, BYD’s CEO, Wang Chaunfu, said it will launch its next-gen hybrid tech offering over 1,200 miles (2,000 km) range. We reported earlier this month that BYD looks to crush gas-powered car sales with its newest platform.

Most BYD vehicles are based on its e-Platform 3.0, an advanced 8-in-1 electric powertrain with integrated Blade batteries.

By building nearly all vehicle components, including batteries, in-house, BYD has a major advantage over rivals. BYD can offer low-cost EVs, like the new Seagull, starting under $10,000 (69,800 yuan) and still make a profit.

Its next-gen DM-i system will enable an even more range at a lower cost. According to a new Yicai report (translated), Chaunfu said BYD will launch its next-gen DM-i platform in May.

BYD-knockout-round
BYD Seagull (Dolphin Mini) testing (Source: BYD)

BYD believes EVs, PHEVs entered the “knockout round”

Chaunfu added that he believes EVs and PHEVs have “entered the knockout round” and that the next two years will be critical for automakers to scale, reduce costs, and introduce new tech.

As new electric cars roll out in China, BYD sees joint venture brands (overseas automakers) market share falling from 40% to 10%. The 30% offers room for Chinese brands to grow.

BYD-new-EV-platform
BYD Dolphin EV Honor Edition (Source: BYD)

BYD is using an “overseas + localization” strategy to expand the brand. For example, BYD is building a plant in Hungary that will “be Europe, for Europe.” BYD’s European leader said the plant will “be closer to customers, offering faster deliveries, and people will trust us more.”

Chaunfu said BYD aims to sell 500,000 vehicles overseas this year, more than double the 240,000 handed over last year. By 2025, BYD sees overseas sales reaching 1 million.

BYD-Atto-3-Japan

BYD’s first vehicle transport ship, the BYD Explorer No. 1, landed in Germany last month as the automaker expands its overseas footprint.

Meanwhile, after launching in Japan last year, BYD already accounted for 20% of Japan’s EV imports in January, a market dominated by Toyota.

The automaker launched a “liberation battle” with drastic price cuts and new lower-priced models earlier this year.

BYD says its main competition is gas-powered vehicles and joint venture brands. Several of its most popular EVs, including the Dolphin and Seagull, were updated with lower prices. Its cheapest EV, the Seagull, starts at just $9,700.

Electrek’s Take

BYD has already sent shockwaves throughout the industry with the new Seagull EV starting under $10,000.

Ford’s CEO Jim Farley called the Seagull “pretty damn good,” as he warned rivals. Farley said at the Wolfe Research Conference last month that if automakers fail to keep up with the Chinese, like BYD, “20% to 30% of your revenue is at risk.” In response, Ford is shifting from larger to smaller, more affordable EVs.

How will automakers react to a new platform that will cut costs even further? With new tech and models rolling out, BYD expects to steal even more market share from gas vehicles over the next few years.

Although many pit BYD and Tesla against each other because they are the leading EV makers, BYD sees Tesla as a respected industry partner. Its main target is gas-powered vehicles.

BYD is best known for its affordable EVs, such as the Dolphin, Atto 3, and Seagull, but it’s expanding into new segments, including mid-size SUVs and luxury models.

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