PORTLAND — An update on Maine’s offshore wind project will take place beginning at 7:15 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16 at the Wishcamper Center at the University of Southern Maine, 34 Bedford St.

The University of Maineled offshore wind project, VolturnUS, located in Castine, is the first grid-connected floating offshore wind project in the Americas, and has been operating since early June 2013.

Maine Aqua Ventus I, a two-turbine, 12-megawatt project being proposed by a partnership made up of Cianbro, Emera and a spinoff of the University of Maine, is proposed for the state-designated test site south of Monhegan Island. Maine Aqua Ventus is competing for one of three $46.6 million federal grants that could thrust the project closer to developing the country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm.

On Jan. 16, Red Webster of Cianbro will describe some of the unique construction techniques and materials used in VolturnUS; Habib Dagher, University of Maine professor, will give an overview of the performance of VolturnUS to date, as well as an update on the Aqua Ventus program and its vision for the future; Gerry Chasse of Emera Maine will describe the innovative heat pump program his company has been undertaking; and George Hart, a founder of the Ocean Energy Institute, will give an overview of what offshore wind power can do for Maine in terms of innovation and jobs.

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