The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced up to $14.5 million (£10.7m) for environmental research to support offshore wind development in the country.

The funding will support regionally-focused, co-ordinated research efforts to increase understanding of the environmental impacts of offshore wind, as well as projects that advance and validate tools to monitor and minimise impacts.

The funding opportunity announcement will support work across three topic areas, including the development of methodologies and evaluation of offshore wind impacts on wildlife in US Atlantic waters and on the ecology of commercially fished species.

In addition, it will support work on environmental baseline studies and environmental monitoring technology development and validation focused on US waters off the West Coast, in preparation for future floating offshore wind development.

Daniel R Simmons, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy said: “This research will help address challenges to offshore wind development on both the east and west coasts of the United States.

“These projects will develop the knowledge and tools we need to support environmentally-sound development of this valuable energy resource.”