Opportunity Information: Apply for M22AS00287
AT-22-07: Exploring the Connectivity Among Offshore Wind Turbines is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) grant opportunity focused on understanding how large offshore wind projects may change fish ecology on the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The central idea behind the opportunity is that offshore wind turbine foundations add extensive hard surface to areas that are normally dominated by soft sediments, and those surfaces quickly become covered with marine life. Because the structures extend vertically through much of the water column, they create a kind of “tower” habitat that can support dense biological growth from near the seafloor upward. Evidence from European wind farms, including work documenting rapid ecological succession over roughly a decade, suggests that these installations can quickly develop complex communities of encrusting organisms and associated species. Fish are often drawn to these artificial habitats, partly because they provide food, shelter, and structure that is otherwise limited in many sandy or muddy offshore environments.
The specific research problem BOEM is trying to address is whether offshore wind turbines act only as isolated reef-like features, or whether turbines placed close together function as a connected network that influences fish and ecosystems at a much larger scale. In other words, the opportunity is asking whether there is “connectivity” among turbines for mobile species such as fish, and whether many structures operating together produce additive effects that go beyond what would be expected from a single turbine. This is an important distinction because offshore wind facilities are typically built as large arrays containing hundreds of turbines within relatively tight spacing, which differs from many traditional offshore structures that are more isolated. If fish regularly move among turbines, or if the array changes feeding, spawning, aggregation, or migration behavior across an entire lease area, then the ecological footprint of a wind facility could extend well beyond the immediate footprint of individual foundations.
The description highlights that while the Gulf of Mexico contains thousands of oil and gas platforms, much of the research and monitoring historically emphasized changes at individual structures rather than the emergent effects of many structures acting together. In the Pacific, platform studies often compare platform communities to nearby natural reefs, again focusing on site-level comparisons. BOEM is essentially pointing out that offshore wind introduces a different spatial pattern: many similar structures arranged in a dense field. That design raises new ecosystem questions about whether arrays reorganize local and regional fish distribution and community structure, potentially altering ecosystem dynamics at scales larger than a single turbine’s “reef effect.”
The purpose of the study funded under this opportunity is therefore to determine whether multiple turbines within a facility create an additive or network effect on fish populations, and to evaluate whether connectivity between turbines results in broader ecosystem impacts than would occur if effects were localized to each turbine alone. Findings are intended to improve understanding of ecosystem interactions with offshore wind development, with a particular emphasis on implications for fish resources. That knowledge can support better environmental assessment, monitoring design, and decision-making related to offshore wind siting and management on the Atlantic OCS.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued by BOEM under Funding Opportunity Number M22AS00287 and CFDA 15.423. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement or collaboration by the federal agency during the project rather than a hands-off grant. The activity area is categorized as environment. The listed award ceiling is $800,000, and the original closing date for applications was July 18, 2022. Eligibility is limited: applicants must be state academic institutions that are adjacent to current project areas along the U.S. Atlantic coast, spanning Maine through North Carolina. This geographic limitation reflects BOEM’s intent to support research capacity closely connected to the Atlantic offshore wind development areas where the ecological questions are most immediate and where field access, regional expertise, and stakeholder relevance are strongest.Apply for M22AS00287
- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "AT-22-07: Exploring the Connectivity Among Offshore Wind Turbines" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.423.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-05-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-07-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $800,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Others.
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FAQs: AT-22-07 Exploring the Connectivity Among Offshore Wind Turbines (BOEM)
What is the AT-22-07 funding opportunity?
AT-22-07: Exploring the Connectivity Among Offshore Wind Turbines is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) discretionary grant opportunity focused on understanding how large offshore wind projects may change fish ecology on the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
What agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and CFDA number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is M22AS00287 and the CFDA number is 15.423.
What is the main scientific idea behind this opportunity?
The central idea is that offshore wind turbine foundations add extensive hard surface to areas normally dominated by soft sediments. These hard surfaces quickly become covered with marine life, forming a vertical "tower" habitat through much of the water column that can support dense biological growth from near the seafloor upward.
Why might offshore wind turbine foundations matter for fish?
Evidence from other regions (including European wind farms) suggests turbine structures can develop complex communities of encrusting organisms and associated species. Fish are often attracted to these artificial habitats because they can provide food, shelter, and physical structure that is otherwise limited in many sandy or muddy offshore environments.
What specific research question is BOEM trying to answer?
BOEM is trying to determine whether offshore wind turbines function only as isolated, reef-like features, or whether turbines placed close together operate as a connected network that influences fish and ecosystems at a much larger scale.
What does "connectivity among turbines" mean in this context?
In this context, connectivity refers to whether mobile species such as fish move among turbines and whether a turbine array changes fish behavior (such as feeding, spawning, aggregation, or migration) across an entire lease area, rather than only at individual turbine foundations.
Why does BOEM emphasize turbine arrays instead of single structures?
Offshore wind facilities are typically built as large arrays with hundreds of turbines spaced relatively close together. BOEM highlights that this dense field of similar structures may create ecosystem effects that are different from the effects of isolated offshore structures.
How is this different from the types of offshore structure research BOEM references elsewhere?
The description notes that in the Gulf of Mexico, many studies historically emphasized changes at individual oil and gas platforms rather than network-scale effects of many structures together. In the Pacific, studies often compare platform communities to nearby natural reefs, again focusing on site-level comparisons. Offshore wind introduces a different spatial pattern that raises questions about emergent, array-wide impacts.
What is meant by "additive" or "network" effects?
Additive or network effects refer to the possibility that multiple turbines acting together could influence fish populations and ecosystem dynamics beyond what would be expected if each turbine only had a localized, independent "reef effect."
What is the purpose of the study to be funded?
The purpose is to determine whether multiple turbines within a facility create an additive or network effect on fish populations, and to evaluate whether connectivity between turbines produces broader ecosystem impacts than would occur if effects were limited to each turbine alone.
What geographic area is the study focused on?
The focus is on the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), where offshore wind development areas are advancing and where these ecological questions are considered most immediate.
How will the findings be used?
Findings are intended to improve understanding of ecosystem interactions with offshore wind development, with an emphasis on implications for fish resources. This information can support environmental assessment, monitoring design, and decision-making related to offshore wind siting and management on the Atlantic OCS.
What is the activity area/category for this opportunity?
The activity area is categorized as environment.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement or collaboration by the federal agency during the project, rather than a fully hands-off approach.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $800,000.
When was the application closing date?
The original closing date for applications was July 18, 2022.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to state academic institutions that are adjacent to current project areas along the U.S. Atlantic coast.
Which states are included in the eligibility geography?
The eligible geography spans the U.S. Atlantic coast from Maine through North Carolina, as described in the opportunity.
Why is eligibility limited to state academic institutions in that region?
The geographic limitation reflects BOEM's intent to support research capacity closely connected to Atlantic offshore wind development areas, where field access, regional expertise, and stakeholder relevance are strongest.
Is this opportunity focused on offshore wind effects at a single turbine or across an entire wind farm?
The emphasis is on understanding whether arrays of many turbines create connected, broader-scale impacts, rather than limiting analysis to the immediate footprint of individual turbine foundations.
Does the opportunity suggest evidence from outside the U.S.?
Yes. The description references evidence from European wind farms, including work documenting rapid ecological succession over roughly a decade, indicating these structures can quickly develop complex biological communities.
What kinds of ecological changes are being considered?
The description highlights ecological succession on turbine foundations, the development of encrusting organism communities, associated species, and resulting fish attraction. It also points to potential changes in fish distribution and community structure at facility scales due to dense turbine spacing.
Why does BOEM consider the "tower" habitat idea important?
Because turbine foundations extend vertically through much of the water column, they may create habitat and biological growth from near the seafloor upward, potentially changing how fish use the water column compared to areas dominated by soft sediments.
What is the broader management relevance of studying turbine connectivity?
If turbine arrays influence fish behavior and distribution across a lease area, then the ecological footprint of a wind facility could extend beyond individual foundations. Understanding that helps inform monitoring approaches, environmental assessment, and siting and management decisions on the Atlantic OCS.
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