Deepwater Wind plans to develop an offshore wind farm on the West Coast using floating foundation technology.

Deepwater Wind entered into an agreement several months ago with Principle Power to complete the development of the 30 MW WindFloat Pacific project, using Principle Power’s WindFloat technology.

Deepwater Wind is actively developing several offshore wind projects off the Eastern Seaboard.

The announcement comes as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the WindFloat Pacific project up to $47 million in matching grants to support the project’s engineering, permitting and public outreach efforts.

The WindFloat Pacific project was one of three projects selected for continued DOE funding, from an original group of seven projects in the DOE’s Advanced Technology Offshore Wind Demonstration Project Program.

The 5-turbine WindFloat Pacific project would be built within a 15-square mile lease area in federal waters roughly 15 miles off Coos Bay, Ore., with the wind farm in operations in 2017.

Principle Power has successfully operated a full-scale WindFloat prototype off the coast of Portugal since 2011, where it’s delivered in excess of 9 GWh of wind energy to the local grid.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in February released a determination of no competitive interest for the proposed lease area, and is proceeding with a non-competitive lease issuance for the WindFloat Pacific project.